


Day at the Beach, A

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Post Bartlett Administration, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-10-21
Updated: 2002-10-21
Packaged: 2019-05-15 14:32:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14792288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of theWest Wing Fanfiction Central, a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in theannouncement post.





	1. Day at the Beach, A

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**A Day at the Beach**

**by:**   


**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna AU Future Fic  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Spoilers:** Anything is fair game  
**Disclaimer:** Everyone you recognize belong to Aaron Sorkin; the others are mine.  
**Notes:** This is a continuation of a series that included: "Returning Home", "Setting Up House", "The Family Tree", "A Step in the Right Direction", "And Baby Makes Four", "Hopes and Dreams" and "As Long As We Both Shall Live". 

**June 2008**

Josh and Donna had moved down a lot of things from the house in Virginia to the beach house over Memorial Day weekend, but this was their first full week in the beach house this year. 

Donna had come down the day before and started cleaning, sweeping the dust of winter out into the warm June air. Josh had brought the kids down today and Sam and Angela had come for the first weekend. 

Donna was fixing up the guest room for Sam and Angela when Josh found her. He stood quietly as he watched her. She had a short pair of denim shorts on and a tiny tank top and as she stretched across the bed to adjust the fitted sheet Josh had quite a view. 

Donna's knee slipped on the smooth sheet as she reached for the far corner and she fell face first on the bed. Josh took this opportunity to make himself known. 

"Need some help?" he asked as he pounced on top of her, pinning her to the bed. 

"That's not really helping," Donna giggled as Josh's lips latched on to the back of her neck. 

"No?" Josh asked confused. 

Donna wiggled underneath him, causing him to moan and loosen his grip just a bit and she flipped him off her. She scrambled to her knees and looked down at him, his face slightly flushed and his hair already lighter from the sun. 

Josh reached up and tugged at the waist of her shorts, pulling her on top of him. He made quick work of the tank top strap and began nibbling on her shoulder. 

"Josh," Donna tried to admonish, but really it was a sigh. Her hands fell to his head and held him to her shoulder reveling in the feel of his lips on her warm skin. 

"Where are the kids and Sam?" Donna moaned a little as Josh's free hand moved to her ass. 

"Grocery store, I gave them my credit card and said we needed everything," Josh chuckled against Donna's breastbone as he peeled the tank top from her body. 

"You sent Sam and Angela to the grocery store with both our kids?" Donna's head fell back as Josh freed one of her breasts and began licking and biting. 

"Uh huh," Josh made his way to his knees and took Donna's mouth with his own, silencing her. 

They were kneeling in the middle of the bed and Josh pulled her to him, wrapping one of her legs around his waist forcing her hips against his and revealing how ready he was already. 

"Josh, we can't do this here. These are clean sheets and not our bed," Donna tried to remove her body from Josh's, but that was never very easy. 

"I'll wash them," Josh tried to lay back on the bed, but Donna held her ground. 

"No way buster, we have no dryer and I am not hanging these out to dry. Let's just go to our room," Donna started to get off the bed and Josh jumped to join her. 

As soon as they were off the bed, Josh grabbed her and kissed her, his tongue plunging in and out of her mouth until her knees gave out. 

He moved them closer to the wall, removing her shorts as they went and pressed her body firmly against the wall, using one hip to keep her upright as he maneuvered out of his own shorts. 

"You sure about this?" Donna's voice was raw and strained as she tugged his shirt over his head. 

"I can't wait," Josh brought both hands around Donna's back to support her weight. 

"Josh, our room is just a couple doors down the hall," Donna started to giggle, but switched quickly to a moan as Josh entered her. 

"Remember," Josh started moving inside her and his voice was a comforting beacon, "when we bought the house in Virginia and we made love in every room," his voice was slow and warm as he thrust deeper. 

Donna just nodded, her eyes locked with Josh's. 

"Well in this house, we hadn't had sex in this room yet, now seemed like as good a time as any," Josh's speech was getting strained and he pulled her legs around him, changing their angle and hitting her in the perfect spot. 

Donna's head kept hitting the wall, not too hard, but just enough to keep her from spiraling completely out of orbit. The change in angle was perfect and before she knew it Donna was clutching at Josh's back, screaming his name and panting in his ear. 

Josh froze just as his own orgasm hit, the moment powerful and peaceful at the same time and then he exploded in her, sucking at the skin of her neck and shoulder. 

Donna lowered her legs to the floor, they shook with adrenaline and she continued to hold on to Josh for fear of collapsing. 

Josh kept murmuring in her ear and kissing the skin there, his hands sifting through her soft blonde hair. 

"Kay, I think we had different ideas of `helping'," Donna giggled into his neck as she stroked his warm back. 

"You saying that didn't help?" Josh pulled back to give her a mock glare. 

"Oh no, it was very helpful, but it didn't really help get the room ready," Donna indicated the half-made bed. 

"I'll finish that, you clean up," Josh kissed her softly and helped her gather her clothes. 

Josh threw on his own clothes and finished making the bed. He opened all of the windows and hoped the sea air would erase the unmistakable smell of sex in the room. 

Donna took a quick shower and put on her bathing suit and a new pair of shorts. By the time she was dressed, Sam and Angela were back with the kids and a trunk full of groceries. 

"We bought cookies!" Olivia announced excitedly. 

Sam looked sheepishly at Donna. 

"You bought her everything she wanted right?" 

Sam just nodded. 

"Did you buy anything with vitamins or minerals?" Donna smirked. 

"One or two things," Sam smirked back. 

The four adults put the food away and planned dinner while Olivia attempted to put on her bathing suit. She came out of her room, the small purple spandex suit twisted around her little body, pinning one arm behind her back. 

"Mommy, help me," she looked to Donna. 

Donna untangled her child and took Noah to change as well. Then they all headed down to the beach for the day. Donna had packed a cooler with drinks and fruit and some of those cookies Olivia was so excited about. 

Sam and Josh took a walk with Olivia in tow. They kept one eye on her as they chatted. Olivia would stop every few feet and dig in the wet sand, unearthing tiny crabs. She would squeal and run away and Josh would have to scoop her up before she got too far out in the surf. 

Donna and Angela sat under an umbrella with Noah playing in the sand nearby. 

"Sam and I are moving in together," Angela smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. 

"Yeah?" Donna returned the smile as she sipped her Diet Coke. 

"Yeah, my lease is up at the end of August and Brooke got a job in New York, so it seemed like a logical step." 

"That's great, are you moving in to Sam's place or getting a whole new place together?" 

"I'm moving in to Sam's, it's really nice and convenient for both of us," Angela popped a couple grapes in her mouth and stared off over the ocean. 

"What's wrong?" Donna put her hand on Angela's arm. 

"I don't think Sam wants to get married. I mean we've only been together for less than a year, but he doesn't ever even bring it up as a possibility." 

"Angela, Sam has a sort of warped view of marriage. He was really thrown for a loop by his parents' divorce and his dad's infidelity. He worries about being hurt and hurting someone else, but trust me, he wants to be married, he wants kids, he wants this," Donna indicated the melee of toys and clothes and towels in front of her, with Noah playing happily in the midst of it all. 

"Really?" she smiled. 

"Oh yeah, just give him a little time to put it all together," Donna grinned. 

The men returned, with Olivia draped over Josh's shoulder. 

"She fell asleep on the walk back," Josh laid his slumbering child on one of the big beach towels under the umbrella. 

"Crab chasing is very tiring," Donna giggled. 

"I think she could entertain herself all day out here," Sam pulled a soda from the cooler and sat next to Noah. 

"She does," Donna and Josh answered simultaneously and then laughed. 

Both children napped and Donna and Angela waded in the ocean, the sun warming their skin as the water cooled it. Sam and Josh listened to the Oriole's game on the radio and ran back to the house to make sandwiches as everyone got hungry. 

It was a perfect day on the beach. With school still in session for most kids the few area houses were not yet occupied, so as Donna looked down the horizon she didn't see another person. Squinting, even with her sunglasses on, Donna could only see water and sky and a stretch of sand. 

"Whatcha looking at?" Josh asked as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her shoulder. 

"Heaven," Donna relaxed back into his arms. 

"I thought heaven was our backyard in January surrounded by twinkling lights," Josh laughed remembering the night of Margaret and Toby's wedding. 

"No, heaven seems to surround us, wherever we go," she brought her hand to his cheek. 

"Mom, look!" Olivia announced. 

Josh and Donna turned in time to see Noah, wobbly on his little legs, take his first real steps. He had been walking with help and the aid of furniture for a few weeks now, but this was the first time he had walked on his own. 

"Hey buddy," Josh spoke softly so not to frighten him, "come here." 

Josh held out his arms and Noah stumbled over the uneven terrain into them. Josh swept him up over his head and the little boy giggled and squealed. 

"Your mommy is right, this is heaven," Josh whispered as he hugged the child close. 

Sam and Josh lugged all the stuff back up to the house as Donna rinsed of the kids and tried to keep them sand free during the transfer. Angela had already started dinner and was setting the table when Donna brought the kids in. 

"Oh Angela, I'll do that, have Josh make you a drink and go sit on the patio. I just need to get these kids in clean clothes." 

"It's no problem Donna, it'll just take a second and then I'll take you up on that drink offer." 

Noah went down for a nap and Donna emerged from the kids' room with Olivia in her pajamas. Peanut, who was adjusting to his new summer home, was trailing behind them. 

Olivia and Peanut went in to the living room to watch TV while dinner was finished up. Josh had broken out the blender and was making margaritas. 

"Ooh, good idea," Donna smiled as she swept out onto the patio where Josh was serving the frozen drinks. 

Olivia dragged her toys and Peanut out to the patio and they all sat and watched the sun set. 

"We're having a birthday party for Noah in a couple of weeks," Donna mentioned over dinner. 

"Oh good, we'll be there," Sam smiled as he handed the salad dressing to Donna. 

"Good, Zoey and Charlie are coming with Matthew and Toby, Margaret, Leo and Jed and Abbey are coming," Donna was listing from memory. 

"Have you started the book?" Angela asked referring to Abbey's offer. 

"Just a little research, but she is going to stay here for a week or so after the party and we are going to lay the ground work," Donna offered as she bit into her ear of corn. 

Dinner was great and even Olivia, the world's pickiest eater, cleaned her plate. Josh took the girl to the living room and put on a DVD for her, sure she would be asleep before it was over. Donna and Angela cleaned up and Sam wandered out to the porch. 

Josh found him there and poured them each another margarita. 

"These are good," Sam grinned as he sipped the cocktail. 

"Real limes, you have to use real limes," Josh nodded. 

"I'll remember that," Sam smiled. 

"You OK?" 

"Yeah. Hey remember when I used to whine about wanting what you and Donna have?" 

"Yep, you were pretty pathetic," Josh chuckled. 

"I was not, but that aside, I could have it now, you know, with Angela," Sam spoke softly as he watched Angela washing dishes through the screen door. 

"And?" Josh knew where Sam was going. 

"I'm scared," Sam turned and looked at where the water must be in the darkness. 

"It's scary, I'm not going to lie to you. You spend thirty, forty years with no one to worry about but yourself. Then one day, you wake up and you have this amazing wife and these small children and they love you and they need you," Josh's voice was low and when Sam turned he could see Josh looking at the floor. 

"It's worth the risk," Sam stated the fact, no question in his voice. 

"You're not your father Sam," Josh stood up and clapped his friend on the shoulder. 

"I know that." 

"Take your time, make sure it's right, but don't let her get away," Josh looked off wistfully. 

"I know that too, she's moving in with me at the end of the summer," Sam smiled. 

"Good. Love her Sam, that's all. Marriage is a state of mind more than a legal union. If your afraid of the piece of paper that's one thing, but don't be afraid of the relationship." 

"Thanks," Sam grinned as he finished his drink. 

"Want me to show you the secret of the perfect margarita?" Josh picked up the empty pitcher and headed inside. 

Donna had put Olivia to bed and checked on Noah. When she came back out the other three adults were sitting around the kitchen table with a fresh pitcher of margaritas and a deck of cards. 

"Remember those poker games with the President?" Sam smirked. 

"I don't, I was never invited," Donna pouted. 

"We used to discuss very serious policy Donnatella, you needed a specific security clearance to get in to the game," Josh smiled and poured his wife a fresh drink. 

"Right like how many words begin with `dw'? How many members of the Joint Chiefs did you have in on that one?" Donna snorted. 

"Who squealed?" Josh gave her a pointed look. 

Josh and Sam looked at each other and came to the same conclusion, "CJ!" 

"She told me everything boys, well everything I had the proper security clearance for," Donna smacked her husband on the arm. 

"You guys are really like a family, the Bartlett people I mean," Angela suggested. 

"We became one yes," Donna nodded. 

"How? I mean Greg is great and he's a great President, but we don't have that kind of camaraderie in the West Wing." 

"It was a combination of things I think," Sam started and Josh took over. 

"He's right. We had a rather unorthodox campaign, we were the under dog and by under dog I mean pipe dream kind of under dog. We had to reinvent the campaign trail. We had no money, we lived on a bus pretty much and when we actually won no one knew what to do," Josh chuckled at the memories of their early days in office. 

"We were playing it by ear," Sam admitted. 

"We did a lot of good for the country, but we had so much to deal with that was personal too, we just bonded I guess," Josh grinned at Donna. 

"Rosslyn pretty much cemented the bond," Donna didn't take her eyes off Josh. 

"Everyone was affected by it and everyone came together to help me recover," Josh reached out and wiped at the tear on Donna's cheek. 

"I'm sorry," Angela looked at Donna. 

"No, it's a legitimate question," Donna sniffled, "we were never your typical White House staff. After the MS disclosure we could have fallen apart, but it made us stronger, we fought harder. So when we lost the election we still had each other." 

"You're all very lucky to have one another," Angela smiled. 

"Yes we are, but we've been pretty lucky to meet some new people along the way," Josh held his glass out to clink with hers. 


	2. Day at the Beach, A 2

**A Day at the Beach**

**by:** Annmarie  


**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna AU Future Fic  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Spoilers:** Anything is fair game  
**Disclaimer:** Everyone you recognize belong to Aaron Sorkin; the others are mine.  
**Notes:** This is a continuation of a series that included: "Returning Home", "Setting Up House", "The Family Tree", "A Step in the Right Direction", "And Baby Makes Four", "Hopes and Dreams" and "As Long As We Both Shall Live". 

* * *

**Tuesday June 17, 2008**

"Happy Birthday baby," Donna cooed as she came into the kids' room. 

Olivia was sleeping soundly, but Noah was standing in his crib, a stuffed lion in his hand and a smile on his face. 

"Come here and give Mommy a kiss," Donna picked the baby up and kissed his head, Noah's chubby arms wrapping around Donna's neck. 

Donna changed Noah and put him in a fresh sleeper. He made no indication that he wanted to go back to sleep so Donna carried him out for an early breakfast. It was just after 6:00 AM and Donna decided to let Olivia and Josh continue sleeping. 

The decorations from Noah's party were still up in the house. Noah particularly liked the crepe paper hot air balloon that hung from the door frame of the living room. 

Donna mixed up some cereal for Noah and a cup of instant coffee for herself and decided to take breakfast on the porch. As she balanced everything, including Noah, in her arms and closed the door she was surprised to see Abbey already sitting out there. 

"You're up early," Donna greeted the older woman. 

"I love this time of day, it's so promising," Abbey smiled as she took some of the things from Donna's hands. 

"I've seen a lot of it these past few years," Donna nodded at the child in her arms. 

"You saw an awful lot of it during your years in the West Wing," Abbey pointed out. 

"That was different, we were always running, I never noticed it, like I do now," Donna smiled. 

"Children will change your perception of just about everything," Abbey grinned as she wiped a glob of cereal off Noah's cheek. 

"Matthew's getting big," Donna noted referring to Zoey and Charlie's baby who was in attendance for Noah's birthday party. 

"He is just precious, I think Zoey and Charlie are a little overwhelmed though," Abbey laughed. 

"They're doing great though, it must be hard to raise a baby in Manhattan. I was quite impressed with Zoey's traveling system," Donna nodded sincerely. 

"She does have it down to a science. My youngest daughter is nothing if not efficient." 

"I was a mess after Olivia was born, I couldn't find anything, I forgot things, I was in a perpetual bad mood. Josh is a saint," Donna shook her head. 

"Now there is a sentence you don't hear every day," Abbey laughed as she finished her coffee. 

The women enjoyed a quiet early morning. Noah ate his cereal and then fell asleep on Donna's lap. The sun was out in full force by the time Josh wandered out to the kitchen. 

"Morning," he smiled and his voice was gravelly and low. 

"Morning," Donna kissed his cheek and rubbed at the stubble she found there. 

"Morning Josh," Abbey greeted as she watched him wiggle his way into Donna's chair and wrap himself around his wife. 

"Happy Birthday buddy," Josh whispered as his hand fluttered over the sleeping boy's head. 

"He was wide awake and waiting for me this morning. It won't be long before he figures out how to get out of that crib," Donna leaned back against Josh's warm chest. 

"God help us then, we'll have to get him one of those ankle bracelets they use for house arrest," Josh started out joking, but was swayed by his own idea. 

Abbey went in and made a real pot of coffee and was on her way out with the tray when Olivia made her first appearance, around 8:30, just in time to hold the door open for Abbey. 

"Why thank you Olivia," Abbey smiled at the little girl. 

"You're welcome," she responded and then ran to Noah. 

"Happy Birthday!" Olivia announced loudly as Noah was just waking up. 

Noah reached out a little hand to Olivia and she took it in hers. 

"Liv…" he tries her name and laughs. 

"Good Noah, that's Livvie," Donna prods the child. 

"Can we have cake?" Olivia asks as she looks up to her parents. 

"For breakfast?" Josh asks with a grin. 

"No Daddy, after dinner," Olivia shook her head at her ridiculous father. 

"We had cake on Saturday," Donna explains. 

"I know, but today is Noah's real birthday," Olivia emphasized the word real, stretching it out until she ran out of breath. 

"I suppose we could have a small cake today," Donna acquiesced. 

"Yay," Olivia clapped and then Noah copied her until they were both laughing and clapping. 

"That was easy," Abbey laughed as she sipped her coffee. 

"They are fairly easy to please," Josh chuckled as he watched his children rejoicing over the possibility of cake. 

Josh had taken the kids out for lunch and some errands, leaving Donna and Abbey alone to start work on the book. Abbey and Jed had come for Noah's party and Jed had headed back to New Hampshire just the day before, so the women had had little time alone. 

Donna packed a picnic and grabbed the beach chairs and the two headed for the beach. Although it was still only June the weather was warm and the sun bright overhead. Donna grabbed the umbrella as well. 

The two women ate lunch and fended off the sea gulls while watching a few small boats out on the water. Neither woman started the conversation and just enjoyed the solitude of the ocean. 

Finally it was Abbey that began, "I wanted you to write the book Donna, because I know you will be fair and I think you understand." 

"Understand what?" Donna asked as she picked sesame seeds off her bread. 

"Why I did it. Why I medicated my husband when I knew it was wrong," Abbey looked away. 

"I do," Donna said softly. 

"I think you did even before. I remember when Josh was hurt, how protective you were then. That night, my birthday party, remember? You weren't accusing me of wrongdoing, you were looking for forgiveness." 

"I lied under oath to the subcommittee," Donna admitted. 

"About what?" 

"They asked if I kept a diary and I said I didn't, but I did. There wasn't anything in the diary about the President, but I got caught any way." 

"What was in the diary?" Abbey asked, but she already knew. 

"Nothing really, silly things. There was a lot about Josh though, including that Christmas and my suspicions. I couldn't let them use that against him," Donna grinned and shook her head. 

"So you lied?" 

"Not very well as it turned out, but they didn't use it against him and they didn't attack Leo's alcoholism and it all worked out in the end," Donna hurriedly wrapped up the rest of her sandwich ready to move on. 

"So, if you were willing to lie in front of Congress for Josh then, you can imagine what I was willing to do for my husband when he got sick," Abbey looked out over the water. 

"I would die for him Abbey, I would kill for him, there is no end to my devotion to him and those kids. I understand what you did Abbey, maybe too well to be impartial about the whole thing." 

"You'll tell the whole story, that's all that matters," 

Abbey and Donna sat and talked for hours, Donna taking notes, certain she wouldn't forget anything the former First Lady said though. Abbey laughed and cried as she recounted her life with Jed and the highs and lows of their marriage. 

"If nothing else Donna, let this serve as marriage counseling, not that I think you and Josh will ever need any." 

"We can always learn from experience," Donna smiled. 

"Do you two ever fight?" 

"Rarely, we never have, even before. We get aggravated at one another now and then, but we never really fight." 

"Tell me about Australia, you guys don't talk about it much." 

"I thought we were doing your biography?" Donna quirked an eyebrow. 

"I'm sick of talking about me, let's talk about how you and Josh fell in love," Abbey opened a new soda and reclined in her beach chair. 

"Well, I think we fell in love before Australia, but I'll tell you about the first few days after we left. We left two days after the Inauguration…" 

* * *

**Wednesday January 22, 2003 8:00 PM Qantas Flight #12**

"I'm tired," Josh whined as he wiggled in the first class seat. 

"Then go to sleep," Donna answered without looking up from her Australian guide book that she read non-stop from DC to LA. 

"I can't sleep on commercial planes," Josh flopped over so his head was on Donna's headrest. 

"Funny, President Ritchie wasn't willing to lend us Air Force One," Donna snorted and went back to her reading. 

"Donna, do you have to say that awful phrase?" 

"President Ritchie, you better get used to it for like the next four years," Donna tried to sound mean, but she really did feel bad for Josh, so she patted his head. 

The stewardess came around with dinner, and the food combined with a little wine and Josh was fairly sleepy. 

Donna raised the arm rest between their seats and took his pillow, placing it on her lap. Josh got the hint and twisted himself around to lay on the pillow. Donna combed her fingers through his hair and heard his breathing slow under her touch. 

"Thanks," Josh whispered in the darkened cabin of the plane. 

"You're welcome," Donna raised her foot rest and snuggled back in the leather seat. 

"I mean thanks for coming with me," Josh rubbed circles on her knee. 

"I'd go anywhere with you," Donna sounded suspiciously emotional, all of them drained by the end of their term. 

"I'm not sure why that is, but I'm very grateful." 

"Go to sleep Joshua." 

And he did and the both of them slept for a good portion of the flight. Donna woke up first and hated to wake up Josh, but she had to pee and she thought the good people of Qantas would appreciate if she did it in the lavatory. 

Josh was groggy and as she exited the rest room, teeth brushed and hair combed, she asked the stewardess for a couple of cups of coffee. 

Josh sipped his coffee and then head to the rest room himself, he shook his head as he came out. 

"How do you look that good?" Josh accused. 

"What do you mean?" 

"We've been on this plane for like ten years and you look like you just stepped out of a spa or something." 

"I am properly hydrated and have been moisturizing regularly. I wore loose fitting, wrinkle-free clothing, and my hair is a gift from God," Donna smiled up at him, his clothes a mess and his hair sticking up in every way possible. 

"I put a fresh pair of shorts and a shirt in your bag, you can just throw those clothes away," Donna laughed as she pointed to his disaster of an outfit. 

"You are too good to me Donnatella," Josh smiled as he reached overhead for the carry-on he stowed there hours earlier. 

Josh and Donna spent a couple of days in Sydney before continuing their journey. Neither of them had ever been to Australia and despite their fatigue they tried to see some of the sights before they got on a plane for Perth. From Perth they took a plane to Broome and from Broome they rode in a jeep with a driver Josh had set up in advance to the house Josh had rented. 

When Josh was planning this trip he really wanted to get away. Broome was described as the perfect spot for "urban burnouts" and he and Donna really fit that description. Broome itself was cosmopolitan and artsy and he figured if they got really bored on the beach they could go into town. 

As Donna hopped out of the jeep and took in the house in front of her she couldn't believe it. 

"This is ours?" 

"For now, the guy who owns it is in London, said he'd be gone until at least June," Josh came up behind her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. 

"Like it?" 

"It's magnificent," Donna grinned as she went to get their bags from the jeep. 

The jeep driver, Ed, was full of useful information and Donna took notes on where to shop and that there may be jellyfish in the water until March and what to do if you get stung. 

Ed took Josh to the store for a few supplies while Donna explored the house. 

Josh returned with enough food to get them through a few days. He found Donna on the slate patio at the back of the house. The slate petered out as the sand took over and he watched Donna, in her shorts and tank top, her hair blowing in the breeze, head toward the water. 

Josh sat on the rock wall and continued watching this beautiful woman who joined him on this journey. All of a sudden Donna was jogging to the waters edge, she threw off her shoes and waded in, looking for jellyfish as she went deeper. 

Suddenly she plunged under the water, emerging a few feet away like a mermaid. She swam a few strokes and trudged back up the sand in her wet clothes. 

Josh tried not to notice how her clothes clung to her gorgeous body, he concentrated instead on her face. The worry lines of the past year were gone. He had seen her eyes ringed with exhaustion and day- old eye make-up too many times recently. In their place was a serenity and a peace and an acceptance that if they had to lose at least they got this as a consolation prize. 

"You hungry?" Donna asked as she wrung the water from her hair. 

"Yeah," Josh didn't recognize his own voice and he cleared the emotion from it as he led her in to the house for the first meal as room mates. 

* * *

"You knew why he asked you to go with him, right? You knew he loved you?" Abbey asked as she listened to Donna recount their first days in Australia. 

"I did, but I knew he needed to come to terms with losing. Josh doesn't like losing and I knew that was his first concern, I was more than willing to wait for him to be ready." 

"Considering how quickly you got married and had Olivia, I guess it didn't take too long," Abbey smiled. 

"No, we were married a little less than a month after we got there, but that is a story for another day," Donna stood up and began gathering their things as the sky began to turn the soft orange of evening. 

"There you are, I was getting ready to send out the dogs," Josh smiled as he cooked dinner. 

"We don't have any dogs," Donna sassed as she smacked him on the behind. 

"I would have bought some," he smiled and kissed her. 

"Can we get a dog?" Olivia asked from her place at the kitchen table where she appeared to be guarding the birthday cake. 

"No," Josh and Donna answered in unison. 

Later that night after dinner and more cake, Josh was reading in bed, but really he was listening to his family through the baby monitor. He could hear Noah babbling in his crib and Donna reading a story to Olivia. He could hear Olivia talking to Peanut and Donna changing Noah for one last time before bed. 

Donna came into their room and found Josh with his eyes closed and a book open on his bare chest. She approached him quietly to remove the book when he cracked open one eye. 

"I'm awake," he smiled as he put the book on the bedside table and took Donna's hand. 

She curled up next to him on the bed and snuggled in to his chest. 

"Would you forgive me if I did something illegal and unethical to protect you or the kids?" she whispered. 

"Donna you did something illegal to protect me once and I forgave you, I didn't even need to forgive you, I should have thanked you for caring that much," he kissed the top of her head. 

"That was different, there was no fall out from my mistake. Do you think Jed and Abbey have forgiven one another?" 

"What Jed did wasn't illegal," Josh spouted the party line. 

"But what Abbey did was, at least according to the AMA, I think they still haven't come to terms with it." 

"They've been through a lot, they'll get through this too." 

"You're right. I just don't know what I would do if something came between us like that. I mean, if you were sick and I could do anything to make you better, I would, illegal or not," Donna clutched at his arm and burrowed deeper into his body. 

"I know you would," Josh tugged at her arm until she looked up at him and she saw the tears there. 

"I would do anything in the world to make you better, I would give you an organ," she kissed his neck, "I would share my blood or my bone marrow." 

"I know Donna, I would too," Josh kissed her softly and pulled her body on top of his, running his hands along her back. 

"I can't imagine being a doctor and not helping someone you love, how can anyone think that was wrong?" 

"I bet a lot of people, people who are lucky enough to love someone, didn't think it was so wrong. I bet when people read this book they'll know for sure that what Abbey Bartlett did for her husband was what anyone in her position would have done," Josh continued kissing as he slipped the strap of her nightgown down her shoulder. 

"Love me Josh," Donna rolled them over, pulling Josh on top of her. 

"Always," he smiled at her and leaned down to capture her mouth. 

Donna ran her hands down his bare back and pushed his boxers off his body. Josh had peeled her nightgown down to her waist and was ravishing her breasts with a skillful tongue. 

Donna arched her back giving him unfettered access to her breasts as she reached down to touch him. He moaned into her skin as she stroked him. He wiggled down her body, removing the nightgown completely, until his face was positioned between her thighs and he tasted her. 

Their moans mingled as Josh picked up the pace until Donna was thrashing underneath his hands. He held her tight as her hips came right off the bed with her orgasm. Turning her face into a pillow prevented her from announcing her pleasure to the whole house. 

Josh smiled against her skin as he moved back up her body and without invitation entered her quickly and thoroughly. Donna could tell he was close, his strokes short and furious. She locked her ankles behind his back and tilted her pelvis to change the angle. 

"Come for me Josh," she whispered as she ran her finger tips down his chest. 

"Ughhh," Josh wasn't able to articulate his thoughts as he spilled into her, his last few strokes driving her over the edge again. 

She reached for him and plunged her tongue into his mouth, swallowing her screams. Josh collapsed on top of her and she enveloped him, arms and legs wrapped protectively around his body. 

"Always, Donna," Josh whispered against the soft skin of her breast. 


	3. Day at the Beach, A 3

**A Day at the Beach**

**by:** Annmarie  


**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna AU Future Fic  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Spoilers:** Anything is fair game  
**Disclaimer:** Everyone you recognize belong to Aaron Sorkin; the others are mine.  
**Notes:** This is a continuation of a series that included: "Returning Home", "Setting Up House", "The Family Tree", "A Step in the Right Direction", "And Baby Makes Four", "Hopes and Dreams" and "As Long As We Both Shall Live". 

* * *

**Monday June 30, 2008**

Margaret was on vacation and she and Toby were spending the week leading up to 4th of July with Josh and Donna at the beach house. It was a bit of a commute for Toby and he would probably spend one or two nights in DC, but Margaret was a woman on vacation. 

Unfortunately it rained her first full day off, but Donna was not about to let her miss even one day of fun. 

Josh had joined Toby in DC for the day, Toby was trying to sway a few older Senators to back his guy's bill and he brought Josh along for help. 

Donna and Margaret lounged around for the morning, watching talk shows and drinking coffee. Finally around 11:00 Donna left the kids with Margaret and went out to do some shopping. 

Donna returned with some groceries and a bag from the party supply store. She also had all the ingredients for Josh's margaritas and a 12 pack of Corona. 

"What did you buy?" Margaret asked with raised eyebrows as she tried to free her hair from Noah's tight grasp. 

"Some food and all the supplies for a little fiesta," Donna pulled out a sombrero and a piñata from the party supply store bag. 

"You're kidding?" Margaret laughed as Olivia burrowed in to the bag to find the other treasures Donna had bought. 

"Oh no my friend, if the Maryland weather is not going to cooperate, we will create our own tropical paradise, inside." 

"You're insane, but I love you," Margaret hugged her and watched as Olivia tried on the huge sombrero. 

Josh and Toby had finished early in the afternoon and headed back to Maryland, Toby taking the rest of the day off. 

Josh opened the door to the kitchen and was assaulted by the sound of a Mariache band. Donna was standing at the stove in a sun dress and the now famous sombrero. Toby followed Josh in to the kitchen and was also wondering what was going on. 

The situation got stranger as Margaret came in to the room playing the maracas, followed by Olivia in a rainbow-colored vest and hitting a tambourine. 

"What the hell is going on in here?" Josh asked with a grin. 

"Watch your language in front of the child Joshua, or you don't get to hit the pinata," Donna turned around and gave him a sly smile. 

"Pinata?" Toby's eyebrows were up around his receding hairline. 

"Oh yes," Margaret grinned as she kissed her husband, "pinata." 

"I repeat, sans the profanity, what is going on in here?" Josh had made his way over and scooped up his daughter. 

"We're in Mexico Daddy," Olivia answered as if it was the most logical answer in the world. 

"Did one of you fall down and hit your head?" Toby asked as he reached for a tortilla chip and dipped it in the homemade salsa. 

"I assure you we are of sound mind," Donna chuckled as she offered a taste of her famous enchilada sauce to Josh. 

"What did you make?" Josh licked a stray drop of sauce from his lip. 

"Homemade salsa and guacamole, cheese quesedillas, chicken enchiladas and rice and beans," Donna ticked off as she checked the quesedillas in the oven. 

"Yum," Josh made an exaggerated humming noise as he nibbled at Donna's neck. He had to duck under the sombrero to reach her, but it was worth it. 

"How was your day?" Donna asked curiously. 

"Good, Senator Connors said `hi' by the way," Josh moved over to the chips and salsa. 

"Josh was helpful, but I should have brought you. Most of Congress likes you more," Toby laughed. 

"People like me Toby, I'm a people person," Donna grinned back. 

Noah announced the end of his nap loudly. Margaret went to get him up and returned with him in a small round-brimmed hat with tassels hanging off it. Josh actually snorted beer through his nose. 

Dinner was tasty and in perfect fashion, festive. Margaret was truly appreciative of Donna's efforts to get her vacation off to a fun start. The four of them sat on the back porch, the rain having stopped and the sweet smell of wet grass hanging in the air. 

"So what's on the agenda for tomorrow, Chinese food complete with Margaret in a rickshaw?" Josh giggled after his 4th beer. 

"No you funny, funny man. Tomorrow, in the immortal words of that rascally little orphan, the sun will come out," Donna grinned under the brim of the sombrero. 

"I'm sitting on the beach, regardless," Margaret laughed. 

"I have an umbrella," Donna stumbled a little on `umbrella' revealing her now less than sober state. 

"OK Carmen Miranda, time for bed," Josh reached out his hand for her. 

"I don't think she was Mexican and she wore a fruit hat, not a sombrero," Donna looked very serious. 

"We never whacked the pinata," Margaret realized. 

"That's probably for the best," Toby grinned. 

"We'll do it tomorrow, when these party-poopers are long gone," Donna stage-whispered to Margaret. 

"Good night," Josh waived as he led Donna in to the house, leaving Toby and Margaret alone on the porch. 

Josh deposited Donna on the bed and headed for the bathroom. He washed up and stripped down to his boxers, brushing his teeth as well. When he returned to his bedroom he was struck dumb by the sight in front of him. 

Donna had pulled the blankets down and removed all of her clothes, with the exception of the sombrero. She was propped up in the middle of the bed, smiling demurely. 

Josh shut the door quickly, in case anyone else was walking by to use the bathroom. As soon as the door was closed he leaned back against, one foot resting on the door, his head cocked to one side and smiled back. 

"Howdy," Donna winked. 

"Hey there," Josh pushed off the wall and headed for the bed. 

"Did you enjoy my little fiesta?" she tried an accent on `fiesta' but it didn't really work. 

"I did, but I think I'm about to enjoy it even more," Josh reached the end of the bed and reached for Donna's foot. 

He kissed one foot, then the other, trailing kisses up her calf until he reached her knee. He crawled further on to the bed and slid her leg over his shoulder. He tugged her down a little, which dislodged the sombrero, making it tilt on her head. 

"You're really sexy," Josh growled as he kissed the inside of her thigh. 

"You make me feel sexy," Donna moaned as he bit lightly at her hip. 

He continued to kiss up her body as two of his fingers slipped into her warmth. Her hips came off the bed and he used his torso to hold her down. 

When he reached her breasts she was breathing in short pants and one swipe of his tongue over her hardened nipples combined with his fingers moving inside her and over her clit was enough to send her screaming Josh's name. 

"Ssh, Donnatella," Josh soothed her as he kissed her neck. 

"Oh man," Donna groaned as she wiped the perspiration from her temple. 

"Good?" Josh smirked against her warm skin. 

"Yeah," she breathed out in a rush. 

"You're turn," she giggled as she pushed him onto his back. 

Donna placed the sombrero on Josh's head and began traversing his body. She bit and sucked at his skin until he was squirming under her. Finally she reached the place he wanted and needed her to be. 

She stripped his boxers off his legs and took his erection in her mouth. Out of the corner of her eye she could see his toes curl into the bed and she felt his fists clench in her hair. 

Donna bobbed her head over him quickly, until she felt the muscles in his thighs tense. She removed her mouth from him and the cool air of the room caused him to jump. 

She climbed on top of him, sinking down on him and resting her hands on his chest. She looked at him, a loopy grin on his face, his eyes glazed with pleasure and wearing a sombrero and she started to laugh. 

"What, never seen a Jewish guy in a sombrero? That's pretty xenophobic Donna," Josh tried to look indignant, but as soon as Donna contracted her muscles around him his mouth went round with pleasure and his eyes rolled back in his head. 

"Good?" she mimicked his tone from earlier. 

"Oh yeah," Josh reached for her hips and encouraged her movement. 

Her pace increased and soon neither of them were capable of rational thought. Josh reached between them to touch her and soon she was shuddering and gasping as he emptied into her. 

Donna reached for the sombrero and flung it to the floor. 

"Ole!" Josh chuckled as he gathered the blankets around them. 

Donna molded her body on top of Josh's, they touched at every point: shoulders, hips, knees, feet, Donna's curves enveloping Josh's more angular parts. 

* * *

**Friday July 4, 2008**

"We made it, despite the best efforts of most of the mid-Atlantic residents currently on the road," Sam announced as he dropped a watermelon fruit boat on the kitchen table. 

"Traffic bad?" Josh asked as he carried a plate of barbecue utensils out to the back yard. 

"That's putting it mildly, I actually thought about abandoning the car," Angela laughed as she peeled off her tank top revealing her bathing suit underneath. 

"The women folk, and shockingly Toby, are down by the water, tell them food will be ready in about an hour," Josh handed her a soda and watched as she ran off to join the others. 

"Things are better," Sam answered before Josh could ask. 

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah. When did you know you wanted to marry Donna?" 

"In a real-life `we're going to be married' way, or an ephemeral `I want to spend the rest of my life with her and only her' way?" 

"Both. Either," Sam asked as he opened a beer. 

"I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her some time around the third day I knew her. It wasn't a realistic feeling, I was involved with Mandy, and we had just met for God's sake, but it was there, the ephemeral thing," Josh waived a spatula in the air to illustrate his point. 

"When did it become a reality?" 

"About a week after we went to Australia. We were getting to know one another, we were sitting out back drinking good Australian beer, listening to the ocean and talking about everything." 

* * *

**February 1, 2003**

"Who was the first person you ever kissed?" 

"Really kissed or kissed on a dare?" Donna tried to clarify the question. 

"Really kissed, because you wanted to," Josh tipped his beer back. 

`Danny Jeffries, 7th grade school dance," Donna smiled wistfully. 

"Was it good?" Josh smirked. 

"We were twelve, my nose was in the way, I caught my lip on his braces," Donna snorted at the memory. 

"When was your first good kiss?" 

"High school, Alex Marquis, in the bleachers after band practice. It was sweet and soft and I thought there was nothing better in the world," Donna shook her head. 

"There really isn't much better," Josh grinned. 

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah," Josh leaned over until their faces were just inches apart. 

"Are you going to kiss me now?" Donna's eyes slipped shut. 

"Could I?" 

"Please," her voice shook and she could feel the tears raw in the back of her throat. 

Josh's lips touched hers, softly at first and her hands came to his face. She slipped them behind his head and tilted it to slant his mouth over hers. Josh's hands were idle at her sides, not clutching, but frozen against her warm body. 

Donna nibbled at his lower lip until she felt the tip of Josh's tongue and she opened her mouth to the deluge. They moaned in unison as their teeth and tongues clashed and Josh's hands came to life against her sides, moving to her back, pulling her from her chair until they were both on their knees on the ground. 

An eternity later Donna pulled away, flushed and panting she brushed her damp hair from her forehead. 

"That wasn't exactly soft and gentle," Josh smirked as he wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb. 

"That was amazing," Donna grinned and looked at the ground. 

Josh reached out and tilted her head up to meet his eyes, "You are amazing." 

* * *

"And I knew I never wanted to kiss anyone else. My lips were just one in a long line of things that Donna possessed," Josh blushed as he admitted that to Sam. 

"Will I feel that way some day?" 

"I don't know Sam, but I know it's worth the wait," Josh clapped him on the shoulder and went back for the burgers. 


	4. Day at the Beach, A 4

**A Day at the Beach**

**by:** Annmarie  


**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna AU Future Fic  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Spoilers:** Anything is fair game  
**Disclaimer:** Everyone you recognize belong to Aaron Sorkin; the others are mine.  
**Notes:** This is a continuation of a series that included: "Returning Home", "Setting Up House", "The Family Tree", "A Step in the Right Direction", "And Baby Makes Four", "Hopes and Dreams" and "As Long As We Both Shall Live". 

* * *

**July 2008**

Donna was enjoying her half hour of allotted unfiltered sunshine. She tried to keep herself to a half hour a day after 4:00, her alabaster skin burned after much more. Her umbrella was her friend. 

She tilted her face to the warm sun and closed her eyes behind her sunglasses. She could hear Noah squeal. He was playing his favorite game, run out with the surf and then squeal when the water rushed back in. 

Josh was sitting on the water's edge constructing an elaborate sand castle with Olivia. Noah would run up to them and splash them and then scamper off to chase the waves. Donna knew Josh was keeping an eye on both the kids so she allowed herself to relax. 

With her eyes closed, her other senses were heightened. The smell of the salt air and the screech of gulls overhead swirled in Donna's mind. During her weeks with Abbey she had shared bits of her time in Australia. Sitting on the beach today brought back another memory. 

* * *

**February 2003**

Donna had woken up early, Josh still sleeping quietly in her bed. Sitting up she took in the state of her room, their clothes scattered willy-nilly on the floor and furniture. Slipping naked from the bed Donna could still feel Josh's weight on her body, inside her. 

She slipped into her bathing suit and decided to take an early morning swim. It was only 8:00 AM, their normally secluded beach, even quieter this early. 

Donna grabbed a towel from the closet on the patio and walked down to the water's edge. She left the towel at a safe distance and walked into the warm water. When she was out far enough she dove under the water and began to swim out. 

Alone with her thoughts under the water it occurred to her that Josh had asked her to marry him. Last night, after they made love, for the first time, Josh asked her to marry him and without even thinking twice about it she had agreed. 

She swam several long laps, the water as quiet as the land. A few tiny, brightly colored fish joined her for awhile, but other than that the sea still slept. 

She swam back in until she could stand and then walked the rest of the way. That was when she saw him. 

Josh was sitting on her towel on the sand, he appeared to be quite naked, Shaking her head and wringing the water from her hair, Donna finally reached him. 

"Morning," she grinned as she leaned over him and dripped on him. 

"Good morning. You left me alone in bed," he grinned, not apparently hurt by that. 

"I'm sorry, I wanted to swim." 

Josh stood up and leaned over to kiss her softly. Donna completed the kiss with a sweep of her tongue over his bottom lip. 

"Did you mean it?" she asked quietly as she trailed kisses along his cheek and jaw. 

"Yes," he answered without question, "did you?" 

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you Josh, a long happy wonderful life with you," she returned her lips to his and deepened the kiss. 

Josh pulled one of her legs up to his hip and ground his erection against her bare stomach. 

"OK, it's time for you to not be wearing so many clothes," Josh began untying the string bikini. 

"Josh, we're outside. And while you seem to have no problem with being naked outside I am not so keen on the idea," Donna hissed as his hand cupped one of her bare breasts. 

"Donnatella, you are a Midwest farm girl, am I to understand you have never had sex outside?" 

"Never," her voice trembled as he dropped his lips to her nipple and began suckling. 

"Well, we need to remedy that," Josh mumbled against her skin. 

"What if someone sees us?" Donna's knees were beginning to give out and she tightened her leg around his hip. 

"Donna," he sighed an exaggerated sigh, "there is not another human being for miles or, or kilometers or whatever they use here. God, there isn't even a bird flying overhead. As far as exhibitionist fantasies go, this is pretty tame." 

"Josh, I'm all wet," Donna meant from her swim, but Josh chuckled as he slipped a finger inside her. 

"Yes, you are Donna," Josh moaned as she tightened herself around his fingers. 

"I mean I'll get all sandy," Donna chuckled as she squirmed, trying to get Josh's fingers to rub where she wanted them. 

"I'll rinse you off," Josh swept her off her feet and dropped to his knees, laying her back against the towel. 

"Oohhhkay," Donna's breath was shallow as she looked up at him under heavy-lidded eyes. 

"I couldn't wait to get you back inside," Josh reasoned as he untied the sides of her bikini bottom. 

"I can't wait to get you back inside," Donna smirked. 

"Clever girl," Josh grinned as he slid inside her and stilled. He leaned down to kiss her again. 

"Move Josh, please," she murmured against his mouth as his tongue danced with hers. 

Josh began moving his hips slowly, rotating them as he moved deeper inside her. They had only been having sex for a little over 12 hours and Donna was addicted to him. 

"More," she squeaked as she arched her back to pull him further into her warmth. 

"God, Donna," Josh moaned as he lifted his lips from her breasts long enough to slam his eyes shut. 

"Yeah," Donna nodded agreeing with his thought. 

Josh's knees were sore from the sand and the force he was using to pound into her, but he really didn't care. 

"Touch me," Donna shuddered. 

Josh almost chuckled since he was touching her just about everywhere he could reach at once, but he knew what she meant. He brought a hand to her center and rubbed hard fast circles over her clit until she was screaming his name. 

He joined her in a chorus of pleasure, falling limply into her arms when he finished. 

"OK, sand is scratchy," Donna giggled as she finally pulled herself together. 

Josh laughed and stood up, rubbing the sand from his sore knees and offered her his hand. He pulled her to her feet and led her back into the ocean. They went far enough out to float and Josh pulled her closer, kissing her soundly. 

Donna brought her legs up and around his waist, the two of them floating leisurely under the warming sun. 

* * *

Donna's Australian daydream was interrupted by the chirping of her cell phone. 

"Hello," she answered. 

"Donna." 

"Hey Toby, what's up?" 

"Donna, it's um Leo. He had a stroke Donna." 

"I'm going to stop talking to you Toby, because this is like the third really bad thing you've told me. Is he OK?" Donna was getting a little hysterical. 

"He's alive, he's um stabilized. We're at GW." 

"We'll be there as soon as we can." 

Donna broke the news to Josh quietly and assured him Leo was stable. They gathered up the kids and rushed back to the house. 

"We need to get there Donna," Josh had a look of complete panic in his eyes. 

"We'll get there Josh," Donna nodded as she took both kids in her arms and took them in to change. 

In fifteen minutes they were all dressed well enough to go to the hospital. Donna had thrown together an overnight bag for the kids and put a message on the answering machine to call them on the cell. 

They were in the car and heading back to DC less than 30 minutes after Toby called. 

Josh pushed his way through the doors at GW shortly after 7:00 PM, his eyes scanning the crowd. He caught sight of Margaret's tall form first, she looked scared. 

"Margaret, how is he?" 

"He's stable, but he's still unconscious," Margaret spoke quietly. 

"Where's Donna?" Toby asked as he joined them. 

"She told me to go ahead, she went to park the car," Josh motioned toward the door. 

A few minutes later Donna straggled in, Noah drooling and sleepy on her shoulder and Olivia at her side, her little hand in Donna's. Olivia looked scared, aware of the frenzy from earlier. 

"CJ was here earlier, but she had a meeting she couldn't miss, she'll be back. Sam and Angela are in New York, they'll be back tomorrow. Jed and Abbey are on their way. Mallory is in Paris, she can't get a flight out until tomorrow." 

"Is it that bad?" Josh choked on the words and Donna wrapped an arm around his waist. 

"They don't know," Toby said softly, "the doctor said she'd update us in about an hour." 

Donna made quick work of commandeering the waiting room. There were only a couple of other people in there, so she pulled some chairs together and laid Noah down for a nap. Margaret went for coffee and some juice for Olivia and they sat and waited. 

Jed and Abbey arrived around 8:00 and joined the group, everyone silent and reflective. 

It was close to 9:00 PM before the doctor came in to see them. 

"Mr. McGarry suffered a relatively minor stroke, he has not regained consciousness and that has us a little concerned, but his vital signs are strong and we expect he will recover nicely," Dr. Catherine Wilshire smiled at the assembled faces in front of her. 

"Can we see him?" Jed Bartlett asked. 

"Are any of you family?" 

Everyone was silent, until Margaret touched Josh's arm, "Josh is his son." 

Abbey looked back at the red head quickly and smiled, encouraging Josh to follow the doctor. 

Dr. Wilshire either believed Margaret or just went along with the lie, but she didn't question it either way. 

She opened the door to Leo's room and let Josh in. 

"Just a few minutes, and if he wakes up please get a nurse," the young woman smiled again. 

"Thank you," Josh whispered. 

He closed the door behind him and approached the bed. Leo was still and his breathing was slow, but self-sustained. Josh watched the monitors beep and click. 

Josh sat still for a few minutes, no changes happening miraculously before his eyes. The doctor came back in after 10 minutes or so and stood silently, indicating it was time for Josh to leave. 

"I love you Leo," Josh looked down at the older man, "please don't die." 

Josh returned to the waiting room, a room full of eyes turned in his direction. 

"There was uh no change," Josh cleared his throat and swiped at the tears on his cheeks. 

"Why don't we all get some sleep and come back in the morning," Abbey began gathering cups and throwing them away. 

Josh pulled Donna aside. 

"I, I don't want to leave Donna. I need to be here, if something happens, you know?" 

"I know, I'll stay with you." 

Donna asked Margaret and Toby to take the kids for the evening, which they more than happy to do. Both the kids were asleep and Donna helped carry them and their stuff out to Toby's car. 

When she returned to the waiting room Josh had his eyes closed and his head back against the wall. He was alone in the room and Donna approached him quietly. 

"Sit down Donnatella," he smiled, but didn't open his eyes. 

"You OK?" she ran a hand through his hair and kissed his cheek. 

"I'm fine. I'm sorry to make you stay here, but if he dies Donna, I have to be here. I wasn't there for my parents, Donna I couldn't forgive myself if Leo died alone." 

"The doctor said she'd tell us if there was any change, good or bad," Donna rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him tightly. 

Some time around 2:00 AM a nurse came into the waiting room and woke Josh. 

"Mr. Lyman, Mr. McGarry is awake," the nurse smiled. 

"Really? Is he OK?" Josh noticed that the nurse called him by his own name, apparently his cover was blown. 

"Why don't you go see for yourself?" 

"Donna? Donna, wake up," Josh rubbed her shoulder until she rolled onto her back and opened her eyes. 

"Is he awake?" Donna asked groggily as she sat up. 

"Yeah, let's go see him." 


	5. Day at the Beach, A 5

**A Day at the Beach**

**by:** Annmarie  


**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna AU Future Fic  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Spoilers:** Anything is fair game  
**Disclaimer:** Everyone you recognize belong to Aaron Sorkin; the others are mine.  
**Notes:** This is a continuation of a series that included: "Returning Home", "Setting Up House", "The Family Tree", "A Step in the Right Direction", "And Baby Makes Four", "Hopes and Dreams" and "As Long As We Both Shall Live". 

* * *

**July 2008**

Leo was in the hospital for just over a week. He recovered fairly well, but still needed some physical therapy. Josh wouldn't leave him alone. 

"Get the hell out of here," Leo growled as Josh fluffed the pillow under Leo's head. 

"Then you would be alone," Josh crinkled his forehead in confusion. 

"A preferable state than you acting like Florence Nightingale all over the place," Leo gestured around the tidy room. 

"I just wanted to make sure you were OK," Josh looked down at the floor and even Leo had a hard time being annoyed with him when he was like this. 

"Josh, I'm fine. I will be fine, even if you leave me alone for awhile. Wouldn't you like to go home and see Donna and the kids?" 

"They came by this morning and saw me while you were in PT," Josh sat on the chair and hung his head. 

"I'm not going to die Josh," Leo was quiet. 

"I know," Josh whispered, but didn't look up. 

"I'm sure it's hard to believe, people seem to die on you a lot, but I'm not ready to go yet. I have every intention of watching you walk Olivia down the aisle at her wedding," Leo smiled. 

"You plan on living until hell freezes over," Josh looked up and smirked. 

"Your daughter looks an awful lot like your wife so you better start preparing for the men at the door," Leo chuckled. 

"I thought I ended the gomer parade by marrying Donna." 

"Does that make you the Grand Marshal of that particular parade?" 

Josh picked up Leo's chart and flipped it open. 

"Sense of humor: sadly this portion of the patient's brain was eradicated by the stroke," Josh pretended to read from the chart. 

"Go home and see your wife," Leo pointed toward the door. 

"Were you surprised when we called and told you we were getting married?" 

"I was a little surprised you had decided so quickly, but then again you were always an advanced boy." 

* * *

**February 10, 2003**

"When do you want to get married?" Donna asked over dinner one night. 

"How about next week?" 

"Josh, I'm serious," Donna reached for another piece of bread. 

"So am I, why can't we get married next week? It's not like we have to go to work or anything," Josh snorted. 

"OK," Donna shrugged. 

"OK?" 

"Yeah, why not, we've waited this long, let's do it." 

"OK, so what do we need to do?" 

"I think the first thing you should do is call your mother and tell her, maybe she would be willing to come out here," Donna leaned over and kissed him softly. 

"What time is it in Florida?" 

"It's just after 6:00, so it's 5:00 AM?" 

"She won't mind if I wake her," Josh jumped up and reached for the phone. 

"Hello?" a groggy Carol Lyman answered the phone. 

"Mom?" 

"Joshua, are you OK?" 

"I'm fine, I'm sorry to wake you, but I had to call." 

"Oh," Carol sat up in bed wondering what was so important he couldn't wait a couple of hours. Her son, however, was never particularly patient. 

Josh hopped up and sat on the counter as Donna turned in her chair and watched him, he was bouncing. 

"Mom, Donna and I are getting married," he just blurted it out without much warning. 

"Really?" she said it so quietly Josh almost didn't hear her. 

"Yeah Mom, really. We're getting married next week and we want you to come here for the wedding." 

"Just tell me when and where and I'll be there," Carol cleared her throat. 

"Mom, are you crying?" 

"I'm so very happy Joshua. You feel free to wake me any time with news like this," Carol chuckled around her tears. 

"Thanks Mom. I'll e-mail you the details and order you a plane ticket." 

"OK. Josh, I love you son. Now, let me talk to Donna." 

"I love you too Mom," Josh handed the phone to Donna who looked a little stunned. 

"Hello." 

"I've been very patient. I've waited a long time for something this wonderful to happen to my son. It has really been worth the wait. Welcome to the family, there aren't many of us, but we're glad to have you dear." 

Donna had tears in her eyes and Josh tried to pretend the overflow of female emotion wasn't affecting him. He did, however have a little flutter in his stomach as he watched his future wife talking to his mother. Donna nodded and sniffled, talking to Carol for a few more minutes before hanging up. 

"Now what?" Donna said as she put the phone on the counter. 

"Um, I'd like to make that same call to Leo, if you don't mind." 

"Sure. It would mean a lot to you to have him at your wedding?" 

"Yeah," Josh answered shyly. Donna reached out a hand and caressed his face. 

"Wake him up!" Donna picked up the phone again. 

Leo wasn't quite so agreeable to being woken up, but his gruff attitude faded when Josh gave him the good news. 

"She really said yes? You're not just assuming she did right? You actually asked and she answered?" Leo joked. 

"Yes, Leo I actually asked her and she said yes," Josh laughed as Donna grinned at him. 

"Well that is fantastic," Josh could see him shaking his head. 

"We'd like it if you came out here for the wedding? We'll buy the plane ticket, you just need to get on the plane for 23 hours." 

"I'll be there, Lord knows I would not want to miss this for the world." 

"See you next week," Josh smiled as he hung up the phone. 

"Do you want to invite anyone else?" Donna asked as she cleaned up the dinner dishes. 

"No, not really. Just the four of us, and a judge or a minister or a rabbi or Captain Stubing from the Love Boat, I don't care so long as at the end of the ceremony I'm married to you," Josh kissed the back of her neck while she was washing the dishes. 

Josh didn't let up on the kissing and finally Donna abandoned the glasses in the sudsy water and turned in his arms. Her hands, wet and soapy, slipped along his face to reach behind his neck as her lips captured his. 

"Done?" Josh chuckled as she began pushing him toward the bedroom and stripping his clothes. 

"I'll finish them later Josh. Make love to me?" 

"OK," Josh shrugged noncommittally and then swept her up in his arms and carried her the rest of the way to the bedroom they had decide on as theirs. It was Josh's to begin with, but it had a sliding door out to the back. 

They had made Donna's room a guest room. Carol could sleep there when she came to visit. Josh figured they could give Leo their room and the two of them could sleep on the futon in the living room. 

Josh wasn't really thinking about the sleeping arrangements at the moment though, as Donna moved her tongue along his body. He had quickly become infatuated with Donna's tongue, it was soft and hot at the same time, it could soothe him and enflame him simultaneously. Right now she was using it to enflame him, licking and nipping at his stomach and hips. Her hair falling over him in soft silky waves. 

Yes, making love with Donnatella Moss had quickly become his favorite thing to do. He could barely remember a time when he wasn't intimately familiar with the way she feels and sounds and tastes. 

"What are you thinking about?" Donna asked as Josh realized she had slid up his body and was looking down at him. 

"I'm thinking about how very lucky I am to love you, to share my life with you. How lucky I am to be able to hold you and touch you," he trailed his hand along her side until he cupped her breast. 

Donna threw a leg over his waist and sank down on him, forcing her breast further into his grasp. 

She rode him slowly, her eyes locked with his, her hands splayed possessively over his chest. Soon her rhythm picked up and her hands slid to his shoulders. 

The feeling of him inside of her turned her spine to jelly and she slumped forward, her hands slipping behind his neck and her forehead coming to rest against his. Their heads bumped together from the force of their joining, but there was no pain in the fog of pleasure that enveloped them. 

Josh's hands clutched at her hips and thighs, until one of them moved to her center. He rubbed her slowly and softly until she was whimpering and then he made his touch a little more firm and she shattered in front of his eyes. 

He watched, really watched her orgasm, the flush that traveled down her body from her cheeks to her breasts. He watched her eyelids flutter and fight to stay open, her eyes bright blue underneath. She worried her lower lip between her teeth and tried to hold in a scream. 

"Let go Donnatella," Josh whispered in her ear and she arched her back, releasing her lip from her teeth and letting out a joyous scream. Josh heard his name in there somewhere, but the joy was unmistakable. 

By the time he was done watching Donna he realized he was not so far off himself, he held Donna still, looking at her flushed face, her hair hanging damp and mussed. He stretched up to kiss her and that was the end of him. He kissed her and plunged his tongue in her mouth as he came inside her. 

Donna slipped down she was laying on top of him, he wrapped his arms and legs around her and rocked her back and forth. 

"Thank God," Donna chuckled. 

"For what?" 

"Thank God we are so good at this, you know, since we're getting married and all," Donna lifted her head and smiled at him. 

"You think we're good at this?" he smiled and indicated the bed with the hand that wasn't rubbing her back. 

"Yes. Don't you?" 

"I think we're remarkably good at this. I think we'll be good at being married too." 

"Do you really?" 

"Yeah, I mean we worked well together, we are doing pretty good at living together and we are remarkable in bed," Josh reasoned. 

"We are living together pretty well," Donna shrugged. 

"You sound surprised." 

"I guess I shouldn't be, we worked together so much, it was like living together only with work involved," Donna snorted and rolled off him to curl up to his side before yawning loudly. 

"Tired you out huh?" 

"Yeah, looks like you'll have to finish those dishes," Donna smiled and closed her eyes. 

* * *

Josh got back to the house in Virginia, he was exhausted from his near constant vigil at Leo's side. Donna and the kids were staying in Virginia until Josh was ready to go back to the beach. 

As he walked into the living room he stopped in his tracks and just watched. All three of them were asleep on the couch. Donna had her feet up on the ottoman, Olivia stretched out on one side of her and Noah on the other. Both of them had their heads on her lap. 

Josh just stood and let the exhaustion and the built up anxiety of the past week pass over him and in their place he found peace. He scooped Olivia up and she mumbled `Daddy' as she wrapped her arms around him. He took her place on the couch and she fell back to sleep on his chest as he curled up next to Donna. 

When Donna opened her eyes she noticed one of the heads on her lap was not her daughter's. 

"Josh?" she ran a hand over his hair. 

"Hey," he smiled up at her. 

"Go upstairs and get some real sleep," she kissed him. 

"I'm pretty comfortable right here," he whispered as Olivia burrowed closer to him. 


	6. Day at the Beach, A 6

**A Day at the Beach**

**by:** Annmarie  


**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna AU Future Fic  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Spoilers:** Anything is fair game  
**Disclaimer:** Everyone you recognize belong to Aaron Sorkin; the others are mine.  
**Notes:** This is a continuation of a series that included: "Returning Home", "Setting Up House", "The Family Tree", "A Step in the Right Direction", "And Baby Makes Four", "Hopes and Dreams" and "As Long As We Both Shall Live". 

* * *

**July 2008**

The doorbell startled Donna as she made dinner. Josh was upstairs with the kids washing off the day's grime. 

"Coming!" she yelled as she approached the front door of their Virginia home, Leo had been released from the hospital a few days before, but they had decided to stick around for a few more days, until the weekend, before heading back to the beach. 

"CJ!" Donna announced, surprised. 

"Hey," CJ waved as she and her agent came in the house. 

"What brings you by?" 

"I was visiting Leo and thought I'd drop by." 

"You're the First Lady of the United States," Donna smirked. 

"Yeh, well I'm on vacation this week," CJ shrugged. 

"Greg in Africa still?" 

"Until next Tuesday." 

"Want to stay for dinner?" 

"Can I?" 

"Of course you can," Donna put her arm around her and led her to the kitchen. 

CJ helped make the salad and as she sat at the table and chopped veggies, she and Donna chatted. 

"So Leo mentioned Josh was a little on the `mother-henish' side," CJ smiled and made quotation marks in the air. 

"He was really scared CJ," Donna sat down at the table. 

"Leo said he was hovering pretty constantly." 

"He was at the hospital day and night, even when he wasn't in with Leo he wouldn't leave, in case anything happened." 

"Wow does that sound familiar," CJ snorted. 

"Was that what I was like, you know, when Josh was in the hospital?" Donna looked up innocently. 

"You were a zombie? Abbey told you to go home and sleep and you said no, to the First Lady." 

"Well, Josh is just getting back to normal. He's had a few good night's sleep in a row now." 

"That brings me to my proposition," CJ smiled. 

"Proposition?" Donna's eyebrows arched. 

"Yes, I am alone until next week. You and Josh could use a little quality time together. Why don't I take the kids for the weekend. I could take them Thursday night and keep them until Monday morning," CJ laid out her plan. 

"Both of them?" Donna asked with a glint in her eye. 

"Yes, I will take the boy child as well." 

"And otherwise you would be all alone in that great big house," Donna shook her head. 

"Well me and the hundred or so staff, but yes," CJ grinned. 

"Thanks CJ," Donna placed her hand on CJ's arm. 

"Hey CJ!" Josh announced as he and the kids paraded into the kitchen. He had Noah on his shoulders and Olivia was wearing a ballerina costume. 

"It was this or her Halloween costume from last year," Josh shrugged as Donna looked on confused. 

"My little girl has a bit of a stubborn streak, huh? I wonder where she got that from," Donna smiled and looked pointedly at her husband. 

"Apparently the desire to be a ballerina was inherited too," CJ jabbed as she scooped Olivia into her arms. 

"Hello CJ," Olivia cocked her little blonde head to the side, so CJ countered by tilting her own head to the opposite side. 

"Hi there! Would you and your brother like to come and stay with me at the White House this weekend?" CJ asked. 

Olivia turned to Donna for approval and Donna nodded. 

"Yes please," Olivia answered so politely Donna almost said `awww' out loud. 

"How about you?" CJ asked Noah. 

Noah just squealed and pulled at Josh's hair. He had no idea what he was agreeing to, but he was happy none the less. 

"Hey kid, go easy on the hair huh? I'm trying to hang on to what's left," Josh chuckled. 

****** Donna dropped the kids off at the Residence Thursday afternoon and swung back by the house to get Josh and their bags. 

"We can go wherever you want," Josh offered as he took over behind the wheel. 

"I just want to go back to the beach house," Donna swiveled in her seat and watched Josh as he pulled away. 

"You sure? We could go on a little trip?" 

"I just want to be alone with you," Donna reached over and played with shell of his ear. 

"Well, if you want to make it there in one piece, I would suggest you stop touching me like that," Josh took his eyes off the road for a second to look at Donna. 

"Sorry," Donna blushed and kept her hands to herself the rest of the ride. 

The beach house was hot from being closed up for over a week. Donna opened all the windows and doors and then grabbed a beer and headed for the back porch. 

Josh returned some phone calls and joined her. 

Donna handed him the beer as he joined her on the wicker sofa. 

"Nice night," Josh commented as the sun began to set. 

"It's beautiful here," Donna observed. 

"You really are a water baby," Josh teased. 

"I've grown quite fond of the beach," Donna smiled. 

"We have some good beach memories, don't we?" Josh kissed the side of her head. 

"A few, yes," Donna giggled. 

* * *

**February 2003**

"Josh Lyman is getting married on a beach," Leo shook his head. 

"Hard to believe?" Josh laughed as the two men walked along the very beach that would serve as the location for Josh's wedding the next day. 

"A little," Leo admitted. 

"It's right, it's where we fell in love or at least admitted it," Josh grinned. 

"You have become a sap," Leo stopped and stared at his former Deputy. 

"Nah, I always was one, you've just never seen this side of me." 

"Donna, honey, come in here," Carol Lyman called from the guest room she had been using since she arrived earlier in the week. 

Donna hesitated in the bathroom, wearing Carol's wedding dress and looking at her face in the mirror. 

"Did we get the hem right?" 

Donna kept telling herself not to cry, but it was becoming increasingly hard. She and Josh were getting married, nearly five years to the day after they met. 

"I think so," Donna said quietly as she came out of the bathroom. 

Carol turned around and a hand fluttered to her mouth. 

"Oh Donna. You look beautiful," Carol approached her and wrapped her in a gentle hug. 

"I feel beautiful," Donna laughed and sniffled simultaneously. 

The dress was simple, sleeveless with an empire waist. The satin had held up wonderfully since Carol herself had worn it. They had needed to let out the hem to cover Donna's long legs. There was an elegant jacket that went over the top, but the weather did not necessitate it and the sleeves were too short anyway. 

Donna's hair was curled softly and she had pinned the sides back, adorned with honeysuckle. She had small diamond studs in her ears, that were a gift from Leo and her mother's pearls. She was ready to get married. 

"Are we having a wedding here to day or what?" Leo bellowed from the hallway and Carol let him in the room. 

"I'll go keep Joshua still until you're ready," Carol offered and left Donna and Leo alone. 

"Thank you Donna," Leo took her hand and kissed it. 

"For what?" Donna smiled. 

"For being smart and kind, for giving yourself to your country when any number of other things would have paid more and caused you less grief. For keeping Josh alive when he wanted to die and for putting him back together when he was broken," Leo choked a little on the last word and both he and Donna had tears in their eyes. 

"I'd like to get married now," Donna grinned and Leo offered her his arm. 

Leo led her down the runner they had placed on the sand, she was wearing flat, slipper-like shoes to handle the uneven terrain. 

Josh was waiting with Carol and the American judge they found vacationing in Perth. Leo had made some calls to find the judge, but he was happy to perform the wedding. 

Josh looked up as Donna approached and just stared. She was beautiful, but then again she always was. He had seen her naked, frequently these days, but there was something happening now and his face split into a huge grin as he realized she was going to be his wife. 

When she finally made her way to his side, Leo moving over to Josh's other side, Josh grinned at the judge. 

"I'm sorry, I don't think I can wait," and then he leaned over and kissed her softly, cupping her face. 

Everyone chuckled as Josh finally pulled away. 

"OK, I'm done now, we can start," Josh blushed a little. 

The judge began the service and then turned it over to Josh for the vows he had prepared. 

"Donnatella, I love you. When I think about the 5 years we've known one another, through all of it, that love is what survived, even when I buried it so deep within myself. Now, here, in this place that is nearly as beautiful as you, I promise to give that love my full attention and devotion. I promise to encourage you and support you, to add joy to your life and to absorb your pain when I can. I want this, more than anything in the world, to be your husband, as long as we both shall live," he kissed her knuckles as he held one hand and used his free hand to wipe away the tears on her face. 

"Your turn," he smiled at her. 

"Joshua, Josh, Josh," she began as she touched his face causing his eyes to slip shut for just a second. 

"I love you and that we finally get to share our lives in peace and joy together is a gift for which I will be forever grateful. I promise that I will adore you, will treasure our time together, that I will give you all that I have, savoring all that you give me in return. I promise to be a good mother to our children, to raise them with you with a sense of self and social conscience. I promise to make each day just a little bit better than the one before it, for as long as we both shall live," Donna's hand which was still on Josh's face moved around to bring his lips to hers. 

The judge cleared his throat and they stepped apart, a little. 

"The rings please?" the judge asked and Leo produced the gold bands. 

"With this ring, I thee wed," Josh repeated the words and slipped the ring on her finger. Donna mirrored his words and his actions and then they were kissing again. 

Carol had prepared a wonderful meal and the five of them ate. Donna had requested chocolate wedding cake, but wouldn't let Josh smoosh it in her face, with the white dress and all, so they ate it in a civilized manner with forks and all. 

Leo finished his coffee and looked over at Carol. 

"You ready to go?" 

"I sure am," Carol stood and headed for the guest room. 

"Go? Go where?" Josh asked. 

"We are on a flight to Perth in a couple of hours," Leo answered. 

"What? Why are you leaving so soon?" 

"Joshua, it's your wedding night. Your nearly 40 years old, so I'll pray I don't have to draw you a picture or anything. You don't need us here," Leo patted Josh on the back. 

"Are you going on a honeymoon?" Judge Grey asked. 

"Why would we want to leave here?" Donna smiled. 

Good-byes were exchanged and all of a sudden Josh and Donna were alone again. 

"Can I call you Mrs. Lyman all the time?" 

"That seems a little formal," Donna smirked. 

"How about something a little less formal?" Josh asked as he reached behind her and unzipped her dress. 

Donna slithered out of the dress and hung it carefully in the closet. When she turned around she noticed Josh wasn't standing anymore. 

"Sorry, I needed to sit down," Josh grinned as he took in her intricate undergarments. The white lace merry widow and garters against her slightly tanned skin were a stark and sexy contrast. 

"You know what I'd like right now?" Donna asked as she sat on Josh's lap and began unbuttoning his shirt. 

"I'm hoping it's the same thing I want," Josh groaned as she wiggled in his lap, his wants apparent. 

"More cake," Donna announced and removed herself from Josh's lap. 

"Cake?" Josh squeaked as he followed her into the kitchen, shedding his shirt and pants as he went. 

"Cake," Donna affirmed as she cut a slice from the cake that was still on the counter. 

"Cake," Josh was starting to catch on. 

"We didn't really get to enjoy it earlier," she took a finger and ran it through the chocolate icing and offered it to Josh. 

He took her finger in his mouth and swirled his tongue over the sweet icing and the sweeter flesh underneath it. 

"Good?" Donna smiled. 

"Uh huh," Josh nodded enthusiastically. 

Josh stuck his own finger in the cake and spread some icing on Donna's collarbone, before nibbling it away with eager lips and teeth. 

"Josh be careful, this is very expensive underwear, don't get chocolate on it," Donna moaned the last word as Josh bit down on the tendon of her neck. 

"Then let's get them to safer ground," he giggled as he began unfastening the hooks at the back. 

Things escalated from there and soon Donna was completely naked, Josh only in his boxers as they proceeded to eat chocolate cake off of one another. The smell of Donna's desire mingled with the sweet smell of chocolate and Josh thought he might be drunk on the combination. 

"Now Donna," he pushed her back toward the counter as he pulled his boxers down. 

"Yeah," Donna nodded in agreement as she hopped up on the counter. 

Josh pulled her to the edge and filled her in one long stroke. In this position her breasts just beckoned him and he took one in his mouth as his hands stroked her back. 

He moved in and out of her frantically as he licked the remaining chocolate from her chest. They both came quickly and Donna slid off the counter into his arms. Josh tried to step back, but his feet were tangled in his boxers and Donna had to keep him from falling on his ass. 

"OK, the cake was a good idea, but I feel a little sticky now," Donna made a face. 

Josh kicked his boxers to the side and took Donna by both hands. 

"I have the perfect solution," Josh started walking back to the bedroom. 

"Oh, what is that?" 

"A shower of course," Josh made a sweeping gesture toward the bathroom. 

"My husband is a genius," Donna smiled and walked into the bathroom, only to find Josh hadn't followed her. She looked behind her to find Josh standing right where she was when she had called him her husband. 

"Is that a good `deer in the headlights' look or a bad one?" Donna asked. 

Josh didn't answer her, but grabbed her and pulled her tight to his bare chest and then he kissed her, soft and sweet, until her knees buckled and he picked her up and carried her to the shower. 

Under the warm spray his body came to life again and soon he had her legs wrapped around his waist as she road him. His back slapped against the cool tile walls and the temperature difference between the tile and Donna's hot body was driving him mad. 

Josh felt his orgasm hurdling toward him and had to focus to keep them from falling in the shower and injuring themselves. He threw his head against the wall and concentrated on Donna's warm heat contracting around him until he was spilling into her again. 

They rinsed off, the real purpose of the shower, and dried one another off, kissing away the rivulets of water that traveled over some of the more interesting parts of each other's bodies. 

Josh pulled back the blankets and Donna crawled into the bed. He joined her and instantly wrapped his body around her, he burrowed his head in the crook of her neck and yawned. 

"Sleepy?" Donna smiled as she ran her fingers through his wet hair. 

"Yeah, it was a remarkable day Donnatella." 

"As long as we both shall live, Joshua," Donna whispered as they faded off to sleep.


	7. Day at the Beach, A 7

**A Day at the Beach**

**by:** Annmarie  


**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna AU Future Fic  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Spoilers:** Anything is fair game  
**Disclaimer:** Everyone you recognize belong to Aaron Sorkin; the others are mine.  
**Notes:** This is a continuation of a series that included: "Returning Home", "Setting Up House", "The Family Tree", "A Step in the Right Direction", "And Baby Makes Four", "Hopes and Dreams" and "As Long As We Both Shall Live". 

* * *

Josh woke up, alone. He stretched his legs and felt the contented feeling of a man who had some pretty enthusiastic sex, repeatedly, the night before. It was Saturday morning and he and Donna were halfway through their free weekend, thanks to CJ's offer to baby sit. 

Josh was surprised he was alone in bed until he looked at the clock and saw that it was nearly 10:00 AM. Stretching again Josh got out of the bed and slipped on his boxers. He stumbled out to the kitchen and found Donna. 

She was sitting at the kitchen table in a pair of pajama pants and a tank top, her hair was clipped on top of her head in a messy bun and Josh could feel his body react to her almost instantly. Then he noticed she was crying. 

"Donna, what's wrong?" he was at her side in an instant as she handed him the letter she was reading. 

Josh perused the letter and smiled. 

"Donna, we knew Olivia was going to school in September, what's the matter?" 

"My baby is going to school," Donna hiccuped. 

"It's just kindergarten Donna, she'll only be going half-days," Josh rubbed his thumb along her cheek, wiping away the tears. 

"I know, I'm being silly," Donna took a deep breath and smiled at Josh. 

"You are not silly, you are a fantastic mother, and it's normal for you to be sad, but you'll get used to her being at school," Josh kissed her cheek and then her lips and soon he was leading her back to the bedroom. 

"We can't spend the whole weekend in bed," Donna attempted a protest as she took off her tank top. 

"Why not? I'm pretty sure that's what CJ expected," Josh grinned as he watched Donna slither out of her pajama bottoms. 

"Oh God Josh, the First Lady of the United States figures we're having sex all weekend. When did our lives become so weird?" Donna giggled as she slipped back into the bed with Josh. 

"Not weird Donna, special," Josh kissed her softly before sliding his hands down the sides of her body. 

His touch was enough to make her moan and when he slipped a finger inside her she actually squeaked. 

"I love when you make that noise," he murmured against her breast. 

"I think it's an involuntary noise Josh," Donna made it again as he repeated the action. 

"I see," Josh looked intrigued. 

"More Josh," Donna squirmed and pouted until Josh thrust into her, filling her completely. 

Her legs instantly went around his hips and she arched her back to take him deeper. 

"God Donna," Josh groaned as he bit down on his bottom lip to keep from spilling inside her. 

"Yeah," Donna agreed as she nodded, her eyes dark and luminous. 

"OK, I'm going to move now. Let's try and go easy on the old guy, huh?" Josh grinned as he began thrusting in and out of her, dropping his head to kiss her breasts. 

"I could do this all day," Donna sighed as she let her head fall back and luxuriated in the feeling of Josh's body over hers. 

"I might need a nap," Josh chuckled as he looked up and made a beeline for her neck. 

With her head tilted back, her neck was too inviting. His lips and tongue came alive against her neck as his fingers found their way between their bodies to rub at her clit. 

He could feel her moans as they traveled up her throat from her chest. He felt them vibrate against his lips as they kissed her neck. Feeling her pleasure as it thrummed throughout her entire body drove him right over the edge until he too was coming. 

He rolled them over so she was draped over him and he sifted his fingers through her hair. 

"I talked to Olivia this morning," Donna yawned as she traced random patterns on Josh's chest. 

"Aah, so that explains the weepy `Olivia is leaving me for kindergarten' scene we had earlier," Josh surmised. 

"A little, she's growing up Josh. She was telling me about her day with CJ in such detail, she's so smart," Donna started sniffling again. 

"That was pretty much inevitable," Josh sighed a little too. 

"It seems like just yesterday I was stressing out about being pregnant and now I'd love to be back there at the beginning," Donna yawned again and snuggled down against Josh's chest. 

* * *

**April 2003**

Josh went jogging on the beach while Donna was out at the store. She got home before he had come back and made a mad dash for the bathroom, where she proceeded to throw up her breakfast. 

When she was done vomiting she took the pregnancy test from the box and just looked at it. 

Petrified, Donna opened the box and went back in the bathroom. She closed the door and just leaned against the counter for awhile. The tears were surprising and unwelcome. She was married, she wanted kids, why was she so scared? 

Finally the need to pee made up her mind for her and she took the test, laying the stick on the side of the sink for the torturous 3 minutes. She paced in the small bathroom, each length only 2 paces long. 

Finally, convinced enough time had elapsed she picked up the stick to find her suspicions confirmed. 

By the time Josh came back from his jog, Donna was sitting on the bed and he couldn't tell if she was laughing or crying. 

"You OK?" he apparently startled her as she jumped and threw something across the room at him. 

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," Josh picked up the thing she had thrown at him and while he had little experience with them he was pretty sure it was a pregnancy test. 

Donna started crying in earnest as she saw the look of recognition cross his face. 

"Donna, please stop crying," Josh crossed the room to kneel in front of her. 

"I'm so sorry," Donna choked out. 

"For what?" 

"I'm pregnant," her voice caught in her throat. 

"But why are you sorry?" 

"It's so soon Josh, we just got married. We haven't even talked about kids," Donna was shaking her head and averting her eyes. 

"Donnatella, look at me please. I want a baby, in fact in the two minutes since I picked up this test, I want this baby," he placed his hand over her stomach. 

"Oh Josh," she smiled a watery smile at him and patted the top of his head. 

"I'm serious, I'm going to be 40 next year Donna, how long do you think I'd want to wait?" 

"We've been married for 2 months," Donna reasoned. 

"Having a baby will just make our lives better Donna, it's not going to ruin anything," Josh kissed her softly. 

"We'll have to leave here. I can't have this baby half a world away from your mother, that's just not fair." 

"So we go back to the States, this world that we have here," Josh indicated the sliding door with the view of the beach. 

"This world is just window dressing, the paradise we made ourselves, and we can make it in DC or New York or Florida or wherever we end up." 

"Wow, that sounded so sincere," Donna smiled. 

"It was. Donna I don't care where we live, I don't care if we have one baby or a dozen. All I care about is that at the end of the day we crawl in to bed together and wake up there in the morning. I love you so much, I can love a baby that much too. I already love this baby, because it's ours," he was getting excited, she could see the sparkle in his eyes. 

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah. Donna, do you have any idea how beautiful our children will be? How loved?" 

Donna just nodded. 

"Let me take a shower and I'll share a little of that love with you," Josh winked at her and she laughed. 

Donna followed Josh into the bathroom and cleaned up the packaging from the pregnancy test. Josh stripped off his clothes and turned on the shower. He turned around and caught his reflection in the mirror over the sink and his eyes locked with Donna's in the mirror. 

He came up behind her and wrapped one arm securely around her stomach, the other came to her face and traced the curve of her cheek. He rested his own cheek against her head and grinned. 

"Do you see how beautiful our children will be?" 

Donna just nodded and turned in his arms and kissed him. Despite the sweat from his jog she wrapped her arms around him and held on. The tears came back and she realized they were the result of hormones as much as the result of fear or insecurity, and maybe just a little bit of joy. 

Josh showered and Donna made lunch, even though the sight of food was making her a little queasy. 

"I should go to a real doctor," Donna announced as Josh sat down for lunch. 

"Yeah, could the test be wrong?" Josh looked instantly disappointed. 

"They aren't always accurate, but I'm pretty sure. I'm late and I'm never late," Donna sat down with a glass of water and watched Josh eat. 

"I know. I remember you flipping out once, after Calley, when you were late." 

"You knew?" Donna's eyes went wide. 

"I supervised 1,100 White House employees Donna, my powers of observation were pretty good. You also went to the bathroom about 100 times that day and every time you came back to your desk I thought you were going to cry, or break something." 

"Well, I was 1 day late that time and I had gotten my period by the time I went home that night." 

"How late are you this time?" 

"Eight days." 

"Oh." 

"Oh is right. Also, food makes me want to hurl," Donna scrunched up her nose. 

"Want me to eat in the other room?" Josh looked guiltily at his lunch. 

"No," Donna smiled sweetly at him. 

"How did you get pregnant? Not that I am in any way upset that you are, just curious." 

"Well, I'm pretty sure you know how I got pregnant," Donna teased. 

"Yes I am familiar with how a baby is made. I mean, you're on the pill," Josh waived randomly in the air. 

"I know, I was thinking about that today. Remember last month when you made dinner and I got food poisoning," Donna smirked. 

"It was not food poisoning. I didn't get sick and I ate the same thing." 

"Which is surprising with your delicate system, but regardless I threw up my pill for three days straight. Then I felt fine and we had a lot of `making up for lost time' sex, I think we probably should have used a back up form of protection," Donna nodded. 

"Ah, well good thing we didn't" Josh smiled. 

"Yeah?" 

"Oh yeah," Josh pushed his plate aside and backed his chair away from the table. 

"Come here Mom," Josh patted his lap and wrapped his arms around her. 

"This might not be so bad," Donna smiled. 

"It's going to be fantastic. How are you feeling now?" 

"Fine," Donna shrugged. 

"Then why don't I show you exactly how much love I am capable of," Josh picked her up and carried her back to the bedroom. 

* * *

**July 2008**

Donna woke up from their most recent round of raucous sex and found Josh sitting up and watching TV. 

"Sleepy?" Josh grinned at her. 

"Worn out is more like it," she smiled back and rolled toward him kissing his bare hip. 

"Not a bad way to spend the weekend, huh" 

"Not at all, but I think I need a little sustenance," Donna patted her stomach. 

"Anything to keep you going," Josh hopped out of bed and headed for the kitchen. 

Donna followed him out to the bedroom, realizing how lucky she was to have this man love her. Looking at their most recent stretch of paradise, out the back windows Donna knew it would follow them, wherever they went. 


	8. Day at the Beach, A 8

**A Day at the Beach**

**by:** Annmarie  


**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna AU Future Fic  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Spoilers:** Anything is fair game  
**Disclaimer:** Everyone you recognize belong to Aaron Sorkin; the others are mine.  
**Notes:** This is a continuation of a series that included: "Returning Home", "Setting Up House", "The Family Tree", "A Step in the Right Direction", "And Baby Makes Four", "Hopes and Dreams" and "As Long As We Both Shall Live". 

* * *

**August 2008**

Josh woke to the sound of thunder. He rolled over and reached for Donna, but she wasn't there. He looked around the dark room, brightened momentarily by a flash of lightening, but she wasn't in the room at all. 

Slipping into his boxers he padded out to the living room where he found Olivia sacked out on the couch. 

"Huh," Josh said out loud as he realized the storm must have woken his daughter and he slept through it. 

Moving on to the kitchen he found his wife. Donna was wearing his tee shirt and her hair was up in a sloppy bun. From this angle he could count 8 pencils sticking out of the bun in various directions. She was sitting cross-legged on the kitchen chair, hunched over and typing furiously at the lap top in front of her. 

Her notes for Abbey's biography were scattered on the table and he watched as the cursor flickered and raced across the screen as she typed. 

He scuffed his foot against the floor to keep from scaring her, but Donna had seen his reflection in the computer screen. 

"Thunder wake you up too?" she asked without turning around, her fingers never leaving the keys. 

"Cold empty bed woke me up," Josh whined and approached her from behind. 

Donna straightened up under his touch and let him rub some of her exhaustion away. 

"Olivia woke me up about an hour ago, the storm's dying down now though," Donna took a sip of her coffee. 

"Then come back to bed," Josh leaned down and kissed her neck until she moaned. 

"Can't. I'm in the zone Josh," Donna shrugged him away and returned to her typing. 

"Donna, it's 3:00 AM, when you read that tomorrow you might think it was the Twilight Zone you were in," Josh chuckled. 

"Funny man," Donna waived him away from her space. 

"OK, but if you're not coming back to bed I'm going to sit here and watch you," Josh flopped down across from Donna and stole her coffee. 

"And you were surprised when I didn't tell you about the first book," Donna smiled. 

* * *

**April 2003**

Josh woke up to find an empty bed, looking at the clock he realized it was only 3:00 AM. He hadn't noticed Donna getting out of bed and was certain she was in the bed with him when they fell asleep earlier. 

Wandering around the house he failed to locate her. Then he caught a glimpse of her blonde head outside. She was sitting on the stone wall, looking out at the ocean. 

He approached her quietly and noticed the long crystal glass in her hand. 

"Whatchya doing?" he asked. 

Donna startled, but quickly regained her composure. 

"I am drinking ginger ale out of a champagne flute," Donna answered honestly. 

"Why?" 

"Because I'm pregnant and drinking champagne is not the best idea." 

"No, I mean why are you sitting out here drinking anything at 3:00 in the morning?" 

"Oh. I finished it." 

"Finished what?" 

"My book." 

"Donna, last I checked you were re-reading To Kill A Mockingbird for the 5th time," Josh finally came around to see her face in profile and noticed she had tears on her cheeks. 

"No Josh, the book I was writing." 

"You wrote a book?" Josh asked, awe evident in his voice. 

"I did," Donna hopped off the wall and started toward the water. 

"When?" he asked as he followed her. 

"I started it a couple of years ago, that summer," Donna didn't need to explain which summer she was referring to. 

"Yeah?" Josh swallowed around the lump in his throat. 

"I'd write while you slept, but then you went back to work and I never had the time. I've been working on it since we got here, I think it's done," Donna waded up to her knees I the warm water. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" 

"I didn't know if I could do it. I didn't want to disappoint you." 

"You could never disappoint me," Josh kissed her softly as the waves lapped at their bare legs. 

"OK, then I was worried about disappointing myself, but I did it. Sam's going to be so proud of me," Donna smiled and even in the dark it took his breath away. 

"Sam knows?" 

"He knows I started a book. He would come over to your place and keep me company some nights." 

"You two got pretty close that summer," it wasn't a question. 

"We did," Donna nodded and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his warm chest and listening to his strong heart. 

"Can I read it?" 

"Sure, in the morning," Donna grinned as she kissed him, her hands slipping into his hair. 

* * *

Around 7:30 AM Olivia wandered out of the living room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Donna was feeding Noah and typing with one hand. Josh was face down on the table. 

"Mommy, why is Daddy sleeping on the table?" Olivia asked as she crawled up next to Josh and examined him closely. 

"Your daddy is a silly man," Donna answered and Olivia just nodded in agreement. 

"I think it's time to wake up," Olivia looked to Donna for her approval. 

"OK, but make sure you do it…" 

"DADDY!" Olivia yelled in Josh's ear as he lurched straight up and clutched at his chest. 

"…quietly," Donna finished with a grin. 

Olivia started laughing uncontrollably as she watched Josh shake off his nap. 

Donna tried not to laugh, thus encouraging her daughter's little forays into mischief, but it was hard when she looked at Josh. 

"Morning," Josh grinned sarcastically at the women in his life. 

Josh came over to seek solace form his son, when Noah reached into the bowl of cereal and threw a wet handful at Josh. Donna couldn't hold back the laughter this time. 

"Et tu, Noah?" Josh shook his head and went for a cup of coffee. 

Sam and Angela had arrived in plenty of time for dinner. The four adults were chatting amiably about nothing in particular, but Donna noticed Angela just pushing the food around on her plate. 

When the meal was over and Donna had finished the dishes Angela asked if they could take a walk on the beach. 

"Sure, let me just tell Josh." 

Josh and Sam were watching a baseball game and Olivia was stretched out on the floor coloring. 

"Hey, Noah is asleep. Angela and I are going for a walk, keep an eye on Livvie?" 

"Absolutely," Josh grinned as he shooed Peanut from his lap. 

"Joshua, leave the cat alone, he likes you," Donna admonished. 

"That makes one of us," Josh smirked. 

"Come here Peanut," Olivia patted the floor next to her and the cat curled up and watched Olivia color. 

Donna grabbed a sweater, as the ocean breeze was a little chilly tonight. The two women started down the shore and when they were far enough away that Angela was certain no one could possibly hear her, she spoke. 

"I'm pregnant." 

"Really?" Donna stopped in her tracks and Angela had to turn around to face her. 

"Yes, I'm due February 4th," Angela nodded. 

"Is this good news?" Donna asked cautiously. 

"Honestly, I don't know," Angela sat down on the sand and tossed pebbles at the water. 

"What did Sam say?" 

"I haven't told him yet." 

"Angela, you have to tell him. He'll be thrilled." 

"Will he?" Angela looked out at the water. 

"Oh yes, I know Sam very well, he'll be a wonderful father." 

"I don't know if I'll make a very good mother. I'm not sure I should have this baby," Angela started to cry. 

"Angela, look at me. I am the most liberal pro-choice advocate you are going to find and if that is what you want to do then I will support that decision, but you should really talk to Sam first." 

"You're right, but I'm scared of how he might react." 

"Just tell him, I think you'll be pleased with his reaction." 

Sam and Angela went to bed and Donna kept wondering if she was telling him now or if she was going to wait until they were back in DC. She was wandering around the bedroom distractedly putting away some laundry. 

"Earth to Donnatella, come in Donnatella," Josh was trying to get her attention. 

"Huh?" she answered as she put his socks and underwear in the dresser. 

"You OK?" he came up behind her and held her upper arms, kissing the side of her neck. 

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking," she smiled and leaned back against him, that was when she felt his erection pressing into her back. 

"Did I turn you on putting the laundry away?" she smirked. 

"I would have an easier time listing the things you do that don't turn me on," he whispered in her ear and she shivered. 

"Good answer," Donna kissed him as she turned in his arms and pushed him toward the bed. 

"Can we have sex now?" he looked so eager. 

"Since you asked so nicely," she pushed him so he flopped on to the bed as she reached to remove her night gown. 

"Let's do it baby," Josh clapped his hands together and rubbed them together enthusiastically. 

"You are a ridiculous man," Donna giggled as she kissed her way up his leg. 

"That's why you love me," he stated matter-of-factly. 

"It is in fact only part of the reason," Donna sighed as she slid her tongue along the length of his now quite prominent erection. 

"Oh?" he asked as his whole body shuddered. 

"I love you when you're ridiculous," she took him in her mouth completely. 

"I love you when you are vulnerable," she swirled her tongue around the tip of him. 

"I love you when you're being arrogant and cocky," she kissed the tip of his cock in recognition of her pun. 

Josh's hands were entwined in her hair, but he didn't guide her, he let her explore at her leisure. 

"I love you when you are serious and sincere," she nipped at the soft skin of his hips. 

"I love the way you look at me, all the different ways I see love in your eyes," she kissed a trail up his chest to his neck. 

He slid his hands from her hair down her soft skin and wrapped them around her waist holding her still against him. Their legs were tangled together and he began to rub his foot up the back of her calf. 

"And God I love the way you touch me," she murmured against his neck as she pushed herself off of him and pulled him on top of her. 

He entered her slowly, his eyes locked with hers and a matching grin on his face. 

"Well, that makes two of us then," he kissed her softly as he began to move inside her. 

His tongue swept inside her mouth, mimicking the action of his cock inside her, plunging and stroking softly yet firmly. 

The lack of oxygen brought her to the edge quicker than usual and soon she had to pull away from the kiss to breath and to succumb to the orgasm coursing through her body. 

Josh tried to concentrate and last through Donna's first orgasm, not wanting their joining to end just yet. He moved slowly inside her, rotating his hips as he kissed her breasts. 

"I'm going to…oh God Josh," Donna moaned as she came again and Josh grinned against her skin. 

This time her orgasm was too much for him and he groaned and emptied himself inside her warm body. 

"Mmmm, nice," Donna sighed as Josh curled himself around her body and planted wet sloppy kisses any where he could reach. 

"Very nice," Josh agreed between kisses. 

"Angela's pregnant," Donna sprung it on him with no warning. 

"What?" he almost shrieked, but controlled himself right at the end. 

"She's having a baby Josh." 

"Sam didn't say anything to me," Josh pouted. 

"Sam doesn't know yet." 

"Oh," Josh didn't know what else to say. 

"She's not sure she wants the baby." 

"Oh," Josh said again. 

"I think she's just scared. Once she talks to Sam she'll feel better. I was so scared, until I told you." 

"I made you feel better?" 

"You often make me feel better Joshua," Donna kissed him softly and settled in for bed.


	9. Day at the Beach, A 9

**A Day at the Beach**

**by:** Annmarie  


**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna AU Future Fic  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Spoilers:** Anything is fair game  
**Disclaimer:** Everyone you recognize belong to Aaron Sorkin; the others are mine.  
**Notes:** This is a continuation of a series that included: "Returning Home", "Setting Up House", "The Family Tree", "A Step in the Right Direction", "And Baby Makes Four", "Hopes and Dreams" and "As Long As We Both Shall Live". 

* * *

The next morning Donna slipped out of bed when she heard Olivia and Noah chatting through the baby monitor. She put on a pair of pajama pants and a tee shirt and went to join her children. 

Somehow Noah had gotten out of the crib and was sitting on Olivia's bed with Olivia and Peanut. It appeared the three of them were having a serious conversation. 

"Good morning," Donna announced as she came into the room and crawled on the bed with the kids and the cat. 

"Mommy!" Olivia yelled and jumped on to her. 

After two story books and some snuggling Donna declared it was time to get up and get going. 

Olivia volunteered to go wake up Josh and Donna scooped Noah up and carried him to the kitchen. Donna was leaning back against the sink, with Noah in her arms. He was such a happy little guy and Donna was making faces at him, causing him to giggle and squeal with delight. 

Angela emerged from the guest room, all dressed for the day. 

"Hi Noah," Angela greeted the boy. 

Noah turned his head at the sound of her voice and gave her one of his biggest grins. He tilted his head towards Donna and Donna placed a soft kiss there, leaving her lips against the child's soft curls. 

Noah reached out one hand to Angela and Donna raised her eyebrows in question. 

"Come here," Angela reached out and took the small boy from Donna. 

"See, you'll be a natural at this," Donna smiled and then turned to see Sam leaning against the door frame. 

Sam smiled and Donna knew Angela had told him last night. 

"Good Morning Sam," Donna smiled and held out her hand. 

"Morning," he beamed as he reached Angela and wrapped an arm around her, placing a kiss on Noah's head. 

A few minutes later and Josh stumbled to the kitchen. He was dragging Olivia, who had wrapped herself around one of Josh's leg. When Josh stopped walking Olivia crawled up his body until Josh pulled her up to his shoulders. 

"I'm just a walking jungle gym," Josh tried complaining, but the grin on his face gave him away. 

Sam and Angela left that afternoon to get back to DC. Josh and Donna took the kids out for dinner to a little Seafood restaurant. They went out for ice cream and pushed Noah in his stroller along the boardwalk near the beach. 

"When is Mike coming down?" 

"Next week, he's actually taking a vacation," Josh snorted. 

"Will wonders never cease," Donna giggled as she rested her head on Josh's chest. 

* * *

The following day brought record heat to the Maryland area. Even at the beach it was stifling and the electrical wiring of the beach house was not equipped to handle an air conditioning unit. 

Donna had bought a couple of big fans and tried to keep the kids well hydrated. Finally around 9:00 PM on day 4 of the heat wave, a breeze kicked up over the ocean and brought some relief. Noah, clad only in a diaper and Olivia in her underwear were finally asleep and Donna dragged herself out to the porch. 

Josh had flopped on to one of the lounge chairs, in just his shorts. 

Donna lifted her tank top to bare her stomach as the breeze blew through the porch screens. 

"Oooh, that feels good," Donna moaned causing Josh to open his eyes. 

"Come here," he growled and held out a hand. 

Donna joined him on the chaise lounge and the two of them slept soundly in one another's arms. 

The next day Donna was making lunch when she heard a knock at the kitchen door. 

"Well look at you," she grinned as she welcomed Mike Casper into the beach house. 

Mike was wearing shorts and sneakers and a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses. 

"Hey Donna," he smiled and gave her a hug. 

"Josh! Mike's here," she yelled. 

"I don't think I've ever seen you in anything but a suit," Donna chuckled as she offered Mike a soda. 

Josh came out of the kids' room with Olivia in her bathing suit, her hair half in pig tails. 

"Welcome to vacation buddy," Josh shook Mike's hand as he gave Donna the hairbrush and elastic to finish Olivia's hair. 

"If I look as good as you when I leave it will all be worth it," Mike laughed as he took in Josh's tanned appearance. 

"Let's get you on the beach then!" 

Donna was teaching Olivia how to swim, the little girl fearless of the water. Josh stood at the water's edge with Mike and Noah and watched as Donna put her face in the water and Olivia copied her. 

"She's something else," Mike laughed. 

"My daughter?" 

"Your wife," Mike corrected. 

"That she is," Josh grinned as Noah buried his feet in the wet sand. 

Donna floated on her back, one arm under Olivia to support her. Then they flipped over to their stomachs and Donna showed her how to doggie paddle and tread water. 

Later Donna and Olivia were relaxing on the beach, Donna on her beach chair and Olivia on a towel under the umbrella as Josh and Mike played a game of Frisbee. Noah sat in the sand playing with his toys as the Frisbee whizzed over his head. 

Olivia walked over to Josh and tugged on his bathing suit and he leaned over to listen to her. He then picked up the little girl and announced that he was taking her up to the house to go potty. 

Mike chuckled at the change in his friend and sat down next to Donna, who had sat up to watch Noah in Josh's absence. 

"You think we're crazy right?" Donna smiled. 

"I think I have never seen Josh this happy," Mike smiled back and laughed. 

"What?" 

"I never really had a chance did I?" 

"With me?" Donna grinned. 

"Yeah?" 

"No, no chance," Donna shrugged. 

"I tried some of my best lines on you and you always turned me down." 

"I was in love with Josh." 

"But you dated other men. You even dated that Republican. Why not me?" 

"Because you were cute and sweet and good for me. I never dated anyone who might actually make me happy. Plus, you and Josh were friends and I couldn't do that to him," Donna answered honestly. 

"That makes sense I guess. I knew Josh had a thing for you, but he tried really hard to keep it from being an issue in the White House. He was so protective of you, he never wanted you to become a punch line on a talk show." 

"It would have seemed, to the uninformed TV viewer, that I was hired for my body and not my mind. I had to spend a lot time convincing the staff of the White House that that wasn't the case," Donna snorted. 

"He was always so short with me after I hit on you," Mike shook his head. 

"Sometimes I did it just to annoy him." 

"You mean you didn't really want me? You just wanted to tick off Josh?" Donna feigned annoyance. 

"Oh no, I wanted you, but annoying Josh was an added bonus." 

"An added bonus to what?" Josh asked as he deposited Olivia back on the towel. 

"We were just discussing the old days when Mike used to hit on me," Donna grinned. 

"Yeah, let's keep that in the past now shall we?" Josh grinned back. 

"Hey man, I do not hit on other men's wives," Mike held up his hands in surrender. 

"Sure, try telling that to Professor Watkins," Josh scoffed and threw a towel at Mike's head. 

"I swear I didn't know that was his wife," Mike laughed. 

Josh and Mike cooked food over an open flame, as men do, and Donna made strawberry shortcake for dessert. Mike was enjoying the foreign world of vacationing. 

Later, when Donna was putting the kids down to sleep, Mike and Josh were sitting on the porch talking. 

"When did you know you wanted to be an FBI agent?" 

"About four years after I became one," Mike laughed. 

"Better late than never," Josh offered. 

"When did you know you wanted to be a father?" 

"About 60 seconds after I met Donna." 

"So you were a little ahead of the game," Mike grinned. 

"A little, but it didn't really hit me until Donna was actually pregnant the first time…" 

* * *

**April 2003**

Donna woke up with a little bit of a chill. The reason for the chill was apparent when she opened her eyes and realized she was naked and there were no covers, covering her. 

Josh had scooted down a little on the bed and was propped up on one arm kind of staring at her stomach. 

"Hey," she began, her voice gravelly from sleep. 

"Morning," he moved closer and kissed her stomach before moving up the bed to kiss her lips. 

"What were you doing?" she asked as he wrapped his arms around her, displacing the chill. 

"Just thinking about the baby. Thinking about what kind of Dad I'll be," Josh answered seriously. 

"You'll be a wonderful father," Donna answered as she cupped his cheek in her hand and brought his lips back to hers. 

"I've never been a natural at anything before. I always had to work hard to do well. Until now, I feel like I can do this, I can love you and this baby and that is the way it is meant to be. This is what I need to do, be your husband and this baby's father," Josh kissed her again and soon she was moaning into his mouth. 

"You're going to be great at this Josh," Donna agreed after she caught her breath from the kiss. 

"How you feeling this morning?" Josh asked as he ran his hands up and down her back. 

Donna took a quick inventory of her body. Her morning sickness would come and go in waves and at the moment it appeared to be gone. 

"Why don't you tell me?" Donna cocked an eyebrow at him in invitation. 

"Well, I think you feel soft," he smoothed one hand down her side as the other caressed her hair. 

"I think you feel warm," he brought a hand between her thighs and rested it on the skin there. 

Then he moved it up to her center. 

"Let me amend that last statement," he chuckled as he kissed her shoulder. 

"You feel quite hot actually," he slipped a finger inside her. 

"And wet," he added as Donna moaned and arched further into his touch. 

Donna was reaching and touching him everywhere she could before she touched his cock. He was hard and hot and straining toward her hand. 

"You feel pretty good yourself," Donna laughed as she wrapped her fingers around him. 

Josh rolled on top of her and she guided him inside her. He brought himself up on his forearms so he didn't squish her. He knew he couldn't hurt the baby, but it was so strange to imagine a baby being formed inside her. 

Josh made love to his wife, sharing touches and kisses, until they were both spent and languid. 

"I'm going back to sleep," Donna yawned as Josh stroked her hair. 

"OK, I'm just going to go back to staring at your stomach," Josh chuckled as he ran a hand down her side to rest on said stomach. 


	10. Day at the Beach, A 10

**A Day at the Beach**

**by:** Annmarie  


**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna AU Future Fic  
**Rating:** MATURE  
**Spoilers:** Anything is fair game  
**Disclaimer:** Everyone you recognize belong to Aaron Sorkin; the others are mine.  
**Notes:** This is a continuation of a series that included: "Returning Home", "Setting Up House", "The Family Tree", "A Step in the Right Direction", "And Baby Makes Four", "Hopes and Dreams" and "As Long As We Both Shall Live". 

* * *

**August 2008**

The ringing phone woke Donna from a cat nap on the screen porch. 

"Hello?" she answered groggily. 

"Donna, did I wake you?" 

"Um yes, but that's OK. How are you Abbey?" 

"I'm fine. I just finished the book." 

"Really?" Donna became instantly nervous, her stomach twisting into knots. 

"It's wonderful Donna. I knew you'd do a good job, but this is beyond my imagining. Not only did you tell the story, but you did it so beautifully," Abbey sounded like she might cry and Donna realized she had never seen Abbey cry. 

"I'm so glad," Donna smiled her biggest smile even though there was no one there to see it. 

"I'll sign the release as soon as the publisher sends it to me." 

"I'll call them tomorrow." 

"Good. When will you be up to plan Angela and Sam's wedding?" 

"In a couple of weeks, after Olivia and I get into our school schedules. Speaking of which, we got the back pack you and Jed sent, it is adorable." 

"We figured no self-respecting Lyman can go to school without a proper back pack," Abbey laughed. 

"Very true. I'll call you and Angela and I will come up and finish the wedding plans. She is so honored to be married at your farm." 

"Sam is family too," Abbey chuckled. 

"That he is." 

Josh had taken the kids to see Leo for the day. It was overcast and cool for August, so Donna had stayed in for the day. She had been waiting for Abbey to call, knowing she had received the book the day before. 

Now with the good news that Abbey had enjoyed her biography, Donna got up from her nap and straightened up the porch. She went into the house and began dinner. 

By the time Josh got home it was getting dark, well after 8:00 PM, he had called and told Donna not to expect them until then. He also mentioned that he had fed the kids, but he would wait and eat dinner with her. 

Josh approached the kitchen door and could hear the opera music coming from the small CD player Donna kept on the counter. The lights were dim and there were candles on the table. Donna had bent over to pull the manicotti out of the oven and her hair fell down over her shoulders, obscuring her face. 

Josh nudged the door open, his hands full of sleeping children. Donna turned at the sound and smiled at the image of her family in front of her. 

"Doesn't look like they were much company," Donna smiled. 

"Nope, but they were quiet," Josh grinned as Donna put down the hot pan and took Noah from him. Josh shifted Olivia to a more comfortable position and followed Donna to the kids' room. 

With the children tucked in to bed, Donna took Josh's hand and led him to the table. 

They ate quietly, exchanging stories of their day. Josh seemed relieved that Leo was doing so well. Donna told Josh about Abbey's call. 

"Of course she liked it, you wrote it," Josh shrugged and sipped his wine. 

"You, as I have mentioned before, are a bit biased," Donna leaned over and kissed him. 

* * *

**April 2003**

"Josh?" Donna asked as she entered the bedroom from their adjoining bathroom. 

"Hmm?" he asked without looking at her. 

She made her way to his side of the bed, the red silk negligee moving over her body in soft waves. 

"Josh?" she tried again. 

"Yeah," again he didn't look at her. 

"Yo Josh!" she yelled and he finally looked up and smiled. 

"How you doing?" Josh smirked. 

"I'd be a lot better if you put that book down and touched me," Donna pouted. 

"Donna, I'm reading your book! Don't you want my opinion on your first novel?" Josh indicated the pages strewn across their bed. 

"Of course I do. I value your opinion immensely, but at the moment there are other things about you I need just a little more," Donna ran a hand over Josh's tee shirt-clad chest. 

"I'm almost done Donna, another hour I promise. I really want to finish it tonight," Josh looked at her and she could see the sincerity in his eyes, he was really interested in her book. 

Donna just nodded and grabbed her robe, heading for the living room to watch TV. 

An hour later Josh came out of the bedroom and stood by the couch. Donna looked up and smiled. Josh knelt down on the floor in front of her and took her face in his hands. 

"I love you," he whispered and kissed her softly. 

"I love you too," Donna nodded. 

"Donna, that book is remarkable," Josh began as he hopped to his feet and paced the room. 

"I'm glad you liked it," Donna grinned up at him. 

"Liked it? I adored it. That book is you, you poured your heart in to that book. Every word, every nuance of that book is you, I can't explain it. It was like I was reading your mind," Josh was moving frantically around the room. 

"It's very hard to remove the author from the book, especially when you're married to the author," Donna acknowledged. 

"People are going to read your book and be moved. You are going to affect people," Josh made his way back to her and tugged her to her feet. 

"Can I touch you now?" Josh murmured as he ran the tips of his fingers over her bare shoulder, pushing the silk robe away. 

Donna just nodded and when Josh turned to head for the bedroom she stopped him and tugged him to her. 

"Here," Donna pointed to the sofa as she turned them around. 

Josh sat on the couch and pulled Donna onto his lap. He kissed her and tangled his fingers in her hair, holding her face to his. 

His tongue swirled along the inside of her mouth and moved against her own tongue with force. Donna tugged on his tee shirt until his chest was bare to her touch and she tore her lips from his to kiss his neck and shoulders. 

"Lay back," Donna ordered and Josh scooted around to lay back on the couch. Donna had to get off of him to get his boxers off, but it was worth it when she took in the view of him completely naked in front of her. 

"You are so hot," Donna just shook her head, unsure where to begin. 

She fell to her knees beside the couch and ran her tongue along the soft skin of his hips before taking his cock in her mouth. She glanced up to see Josh throw his head back and slam his eyes shut. His hand clenched into a fist at his side and she felt the muscles in his stomach tense. 

"Good?" Donna giggled as she released him. 

"Mmm," was about all Josh could pronounce as Donna slithered up his body. The silk from her nightgown against his straining erection almost did him in. 

"Dddonna," he stuttered as she began to move back down. He looked so needy, like a man on the edge, that even in her playful mood Donna didn't want to tease him any more. 

Donna reached for the hem of the short nightgown, when Josh's hand came up to stop her. 

"Leave it on," he asked in a deep voice. 

Donna didn't answer, but raised an eyebrow and smiled. She straddled him so she was comfortable and sank down on him as they both sucked in a breath. Donna just stayed there for a moment, she could feel him throbbing inside her and feel his breath warm on her face. 

Finally Josh ran a hand over her ass, smoothing the silk against her skin and melding it to her equally soft flesh. His caress encouraged her to move and she began slowly riding him. He brought his other hand to cup her breast and ran his thumb over her nipple until it strained against the red silk. 

He lifted his head and bit at the nipple, dampening the silk with his tongue. When he switched to the other breast the damp silk cooled drawing even more pleasure to her sensitive breasts. 

Donna began moving faster, moving her hands to the arm of couch behind Josh. Her new position thrust her breasts further into his face and he nuzzled between the two. He finally had to pull the straps of her nightgown off so he could run his tongue over her skin. 

His hands moved to her hips and encouraged her movements. Her breath would catch and then rush out in warm pants. Josh began to counter her movements so he hit her in the perfect spot and soon she was chanting his name in a breathy tone that drove him quickly over the edge he had been teetering on for some time. 

His fingers dug into her hips and the groan that came from him as he came inside her was enough to send her along with him. 

Donna peeled off the now messy nightgown and tossed it on the floor. She curled up naked against Josh's naked body and made a noise somewhere between a purr and a moan. 

"Feeling pretty good there Donna?" Josh smiled. 

"Oh yeah," Donna nodded and kissed his chest. 

"It's a really good book Donna," Josh stroked Donna's hair. 

* * *

Josh did the dishes since Donna had cooked such a good meal and then they curled up on the couch and watched a movie. 

When the movie was over Donna turned off the TV and rolled over so she was laying on top of Josh. He smiled at her, his dimples showing. 

"What?" she asked. 

"Today was a good day," Josh shrugged. 

"I promised to make each day just a little better than the one before it," Donna kissed him, recounting her wedding vows. 

"You do that," Josh brushed her hair out of her face. 

"And look at that, it's tomorrow," Donna indicated the clock on the VCR as it switched over to 12:00. 

"I know a way we can improve today," Josh waggled his eyebrows at her. 

* * *

By Friday Josh and Donna had packed up all the things they were taking back to the house in Virginia. They had stored everything that stayed at the house for the winter. They planned to come back for a weekend or two over the fall, but with Sam's wedding and school they figured they had better not count on that. 

Josh was putting a box of beach toys in the shed and Olivia was helping. 

"You ready for school?" Josh asked his daughter as they sat drinking lemonade at the picnic table. 

"Absolutely," she nodded emphatically. 

"Well that's good," Josh smiled. 

"I'm smart." 

"Yes you are." 

"I can count to ten," Olivia announced. 

"All the way to ten," Josh feigned surprise. 

"Yes Daddy, it's only this many," she giggled and held up all ten fingers. 

Josh scooped her up and grabbed their empty lemonade glasses and headed inside. 

Donna was cooking all the food that was left, so dinner was going to be a bit of a pot luck. Margaret was helping her and packing as well. 

Josh let Olivia down once they were in the house and she scurried off to play. Josh stood and watched the spot where his daughter had just stood. He didn't move. 

"Josh? You OK?" Donna asked as she placed a hand on his back. 

"My baby is going to school," Josh turned and wrapped his arms around her, she felt him sigh against her neck. 

"It'll be OK," she rubbed his back and smiled at Margaret who tried not to laugh. 

"We'll get through it together," Donna cooed in his ear and rocked him back and forth. 


End file.
